confrontation

noun

con·​fron·​ta·​tion ˌkän-(ˌ)frən-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce confrontation (audio)
: the act of confronting : the state of being confronted: such as
a
: a face-to-face meeting
a confrontation between the suspect and the victim
b
: the clashing of forces or ideas : conflict
a violent confrontation between rival gangs
c
: comparison
The flashbacks bring into meaningful confrontation present and past, near and far.R. J. Clements
confrontational adjective
confrontationist noun or adjective

Examples of confrontation in a Sentence

There were several violent confrontations between rival gangs. He would prefer not to have a confrontation with the authorities. a series of confrontations between residents and police We want cooperation, not confrontation. We seek to avoid military confrontation at all costs.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An argument could be made that the show could’ve used more confrontations between them. Grace Byron, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025 Power meetings, sudden opportunities, or straight-up confrontations with authority figures may pop this week. Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 5 Oct. 2025 When my boyfriend tried to hand over a few Euros to end the confrontation, one of them grabbed his wallet and snatched over $100. Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025 But with American naval forces gathering off Venezuela's coast, fears are intensifying over what this growing show of force could mean for the prisoners — trapped between fragile diplomacy and the prospect of armed confrontation. Manuel Rueda, NPR, 4 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for confrontation

Word History

Etymology

see confront

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of confrontation was in 1632

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Confrontation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confrontation. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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