Synonyms of encounter

encounter 1 of 2

verb

in-ˈkau̇n-tər 

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

• meet
• confront
• catch
• greet
• happen (upon)
• stumble (upon)
• run upon
• run into
• run across
• bump into
• chance (upon)
• face
• cross paths (with)
• accost
• salute
• cross
• pass
• crash (into)
• collide (with)
• hit (upon)
• tumble (to)
• light (upon)
• crisscross
• reencounter
• remeet

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• avoid
• escape
• evade
• shake
• elude
• shun
• dodge
• duck

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

• find
• meet
• hit (upon)
• run against
• happen (on or upon)
• come across
• run into
• face
• discover
• run across
• pitch (upon)
• confront
• stumble (on or onto)
• light (on or upon)
• tumble (upon)
• run upon
• bump into
• chance (upon)
• luck (out, on, onto, or into)
• turn up
• strike

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

• face
• meet
• engage
• fight
• take on
• battle
• contend
• emulate
• oppose
• rival

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• escape
• evade
• elude
• retreat

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

• skirmish
• brush
• fight
• run-in
• argument
• brawl
• quarrel
• battle
• spat
• scrape
• hassle
• squabble
• row
• tiff
• wrangle
• fray

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of encounter

Verb

Tempe officials note recent bee encounters Earlier in March, the city of Tempe took to social media to warn residents about bee activity. —Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 29 Mar. 2026

It is found growing at elevations from sea level to 5,000 feet but is infrequently encountered in the nursery trade. —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026

Noun

But sometime between 100 million and 200 million years ago, the moon's orbit became unstable, and a series of gravitational interactions sent Chrysalis on a fatal, grazing encounter with Saturn. —Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 27 Mar. 2026

From lefty Framber Valdez tonight to their first-ever encounter with Paul Skenes in early April, the Padres will have to be better against the best right away. —Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026