encounter 1 of 2

1
2
3
as in to face
to enter into contest or conflict with the troops encountered bands of guerrilla fighters as they made their way across the desert

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

encounter

2 of 2

noun

as in skirmish
a brief clash between enemies or rivals survived an encounter with the school bully at the local park

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of encounter
Verb
In its statement, Warren police said officers encountered Gibson after a 911 call reporting his suspicious behavior. Christina Hall, Freep.com, 14 Aug. 2025 Varda Space Industries, a private in-space manufacturing startup, for example, encountered major delays with the return of its first reentry capsule to U.S. soil last year. Josh Dinner, Space.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
Watch the video below to hear from Kevin himself on the remarkable encounters from their journey! Ronnie Li, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025 Naturally, Lacy remembers his first encounter with the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper in cinematic fashion. Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for encounter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encounter
Verb
  • To meet the demands of this new landscape, companies are rethinking network design.
    Umesh Kumar Sharma, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Milwaukee Public Schools is on track to meet its goal of clearing all pre-1950 elementary schools for lead hazards before the upcoming school year, officials said.
    Cleo Krejci, jsonline.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • For Canyon Crest Academy Foundation, the audit found discrepancies between the foundation’s own records and previously audited balances and filed tax returns.
    Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025
  • The Chargers then worked this offseason to find options on the outside to complement McConkey, including drafting Harris and Lambert-Smith.
    Daniel Popper, New York Times, 6 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • By the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, some areas of medicine, such as psychiatry, would face increasing criticism, including from social movements representing women and LGBT people.
    Time, Time, 7 Aug. 2025
  • The tech outage impacting United’s flights comes just two weeks after Alaska Airlines faced a similar issue, which forced it to ground its entire fleet for three hours.
    Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The only skirmish Wednesday was sparked by some trash-talking between Chuba Hubbard and Jenkins — yes, same Jenkins — and peaked when Jenkins threw a football at Hubbard’s helmet.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 9 Aug. 2025
  • Attorney: Separate skirmishes, no 'racist mob' Fox told The Enquirer that national and local voices have mischaracterized what actually happened.
    Kevin Grasha, The Enquirer, 2 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • No one wants to return home from a long, busy day and be confronted with a cluttered entryway.
    Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 15 Aug. 2025
  • But Oregon leaders have been far less aggressive in confronting the historical artifacts that critics say hold green energy back.
    Tony Schick, ProPublica, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Played by Austin Abrams with the wiry desperation and cunning of an addict, James is an unhoused junkie living in a tent in the woods, who has a nasty brush with Paul.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025
  • This isn’t Dennis’ first brush with law enforcement.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Dan stepped onto the scene in a tailored suit that caught the light and everyone’s attention.
    Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 15 Aug. 2025
  • For all Sacks’ efforts to remain an indefinable cult figure outside the mainstream, he has lately been caught in Hollywood’s tractor beam, with several film scripts in advanced stages of development.
    Julian Sancton, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Redistricting in Texas, the center of the fight, is far from over.
    The NPR Network, NPR, 14 Aug. 2025
  • He was arrested three days after the fights and has been detained at the Hamilton County Justice Center.
    Kevin Grasha, The Enquirer, 14 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Encounter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encounter. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

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