1
as in to meet
to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face
quite unexpectedly encountered our next-door neighbor while vacationing in Europe
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to find
to come upon unexpectedly or by chance
we encountered a host of unforeseen problems during the restoration of our 200-year-old house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of encounter
Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 15 June 2025
Police are still searching for the suspect following a shoot-out after encountering him at Hortman's house after the shooting of Hoffman, said Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
—Escher Walcott, People.com, 15 June 2025
Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2025
China and Japan—a treaty ally of the United States—engaged in finger-pointing after their military aircraft had close encounters while conducting operations over the Pacific Ocean.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for encounter
Verb
Police encountered the gunman leaving Hortman's house at around 3:35 a.m., the officers heading there to check on the lawmaker after responding to the earlier shooting at Hoffman's home.
—Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 15 June 2025
Police are still searching for the suspect following a shoot-out after encountering him at Hortman's house after the shooting of Hoffman, said Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
—Escher Walcott, People.com, 15 June 2025
Noun
But over the years, nearly all my encounters have been with the likes of Ray, who are an essential part of the workforce.
—Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2025
China and Japan—a treaty ally of the United States—engaged in finger-pointing after their military aircraft had close encounters while conducting operations over the Pacific Ocean.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for encounter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encounter
Verb
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Hong Kong’s relentless pace has inspired a wellness revolution where ancient rituals meet cutting-edge science.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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The diplomat noted that the consulate is assisting Hondurans even without appointments and has opened on Saturdays to meet demand.—
Sonia Osorio,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2025
Verb
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Details on past launches can be found at the end of file.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 June 2025
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Authorities found the bodies down an embankment at a campsite in the Cascade Mountains on June 2.—
Kerry Breen
June 18,
CBS News,
18 June 2025
Verb
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One university, Oregon, is already facing an existing Title IX class action lawsuit that includes claims of inequitable treatment related to NIL opportunities and resources.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
9 June 2025
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Because then all of a sudden you’re faced with all of these different philosophies and traditions.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
9 June 2025
Noun
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One skirmish involved the arrest of a union leader, David Huerta, president of the Service Employees International Union of California, who said he was injured and detained by ICE.—
Sudiksha Kochi,
USA Today,
9 June 2025
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Alongside Israeli military drills, stalled diplomatic talks, and proxy skirmishes, these hostile warnings signal a dangerous escalation.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Authorities said a gunman posing as a law enforcement officer is sought in the shootings and exchanged fire with officers when confronted.—
Kate Linderman,
Miami Herald,
15 June 2025
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His journey out of that, and commitment to being real in discussing it, makes for a contrast with the Michael Tait scandal now running through the Christian music world, as evidence that, yes, even Christian music stars can confront and confess their demons, before public duress demands it.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
14 June 2025
Noun
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The shape of the head was obscured by energetic sweeps of the brush in black and blue, with a splash of yellow bursting from the area where a jawbone had been, and might be again.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
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Martinez’s brush with the law doesn’t end there, as he’s had a litany of criminal charges filed against him in Miami-Dade and Broward counties over the last decade, court records show.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
7 June 2025
Verb
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If such cancers had been regularly caught this early before, their natural histories might be charted.—
Siddhartha Mukherjee,
New Yorker,
16 June 2025
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However, Trump caught the attention of the Republican Party through his comments regarding Mexican immigration.—
Ally Goelz,
The Washington Examiner,
16 June 2025
Noun
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The Panthers are ready for a fight in this series, always, wherever.—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
15 June 2025
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With the game being nationally televised on CBS, clips of the fight went viral.—
Jeff Fedotin,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Encounter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encounter. Accessed 23 Jun. 2025.
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