confrontation

noun

con·​fron·​ta·​tion ˌkän-(ˌ)frən-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce confrontation (audio)
Synonyms of confrontationnext
: 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.
But unbeknownst to Anthony, his arc is so tightly scripted that even the big confrontation that wraps up the season is one the cast has been rehearsing for months with a stand-in. Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 19 Mar. 2026 Tehran has become a direct threat to Gulf national security, a transformation that may presage more military confrontation, economic uncertainty, and less space for regional cooperation, Amr Hamzawy, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, writes in Foreign Affairs. Hadley Gamble, semafor.com, 19 Mar. 2026 The footage does not appear to show any confrontations between police and protesters happening nearby at the time he was hit. James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026 The group launched rockets and drones from southern Lebanon, prompting Israeli retaliatory strikes and escalating the conflict into a broader regional confrontation tied directly to Tehran, Iran, and its proxy network. Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026 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 23 Mar. 2026.

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