ENCOUNTER Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

encounter 1 of 2

verb

in-ˈkau̇n-tər

Definition of encounter

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

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

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

Their fragile relationship is disrupted when Sethu encounters a feral child in the forest and brings him home. — Ed Meza, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026 As Bryan starts to encounter the strange beings who appear on the outskirts of Raccoon City, the game mechanisms click into place. — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026

Noun

The encounter raised questions about enforcement of the state’s Trust Act, which places limits on immigration enforcement activities at Connecticut courthouses and bans the use of masks by law enforcement. — Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 24 Sep. 2026 Witnesses and recordings give a fuller picture Surveillance video obtained by CNN provides another perspective of the encounter, which appears to show two agents and the man in an upright struggle before federal officials take him to the ground. — Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for encounter

Recent Examples of Synonyms for encounter

Verb

By combining aluminum’s low weight with a pre-applied coating, the company is targeting a way to make battery components easier to manufacture while meeting durability and insulation requirements.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026
Apple describes it as an app for discovering local events, RSVPing and meeting new people.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of meet

Verb

Fusion signatures face scrutiny The researchers also found temperature differences between the active reactor and a calibration device operating under comparable input-power conditions.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026
Even on a long, tiring shoot, the cast mostly still finds the energy to celebrate each other.

— Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of find

Verb

The agent gained unauthorized access to the public-facing Medicare Statistics Reporting Service, enabling it to access both public and non-public files, and to write files to an internal server.

— Emily Forlini, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2026
The new political leadership will also face pressure to address everyday concerns, including jobs, wages and the cost of living.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of face

Noun

Ties between the two countries, which had deteriorated sharply following a deadly border skirmish in 2020, have been thawing for more than a year.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026
The duo walks away from this skirmish, though not unscathed, as Samjad quickly and economically sets up a blistering saga of stylish reprisals with no holds barred.

— Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of skirmish

Verb

That result shocked many Germans who had believed their country had developed an immunity to nationalism and assertions of racial superiority after confronting the horrors of its Nazi past through education and laws to prohibit persecution.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
That result shocked many Germans who had believed their country had developed an immunity to nationalism and assertions of racial superiority after confronting the horrors of its Nazi past through education and laws to outlaw persecution.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of confront

Noun

An impersonator may have tricked a Las Vegas nightclub last year, but those at the park Tuesday appeared convinced of their brush with Bieber.

— Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
The trailblazers clear the smaller brush, step around the largest trees, squeeze between rocks and weave around whatever cannot easily be moved.

— Kevin Brady, Forbes.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of brush

Verb

The animal was far from sprinting, instead taking a relaxed stroll at a speed surprisingly comparable to a human walking briskly to catch a bus.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026
Douglas, who had five catches for 94 yards in the opener, was targeted just three times, catching two for 19 yards and dropping the third.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026