CONFRONTATION Synonyms: 41 Similar and Opposite Words

confrontation

noun

ˌkän-(ˌ)frən-ˈtā-shən

Definition of confrontation

as in rivalry

an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another the softball rivals met in an epic confrontation on the last weekend of the summer

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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 confrontation According to court testimony, Boulis’ demands to be paid were repeatedly stonewalled by Abramoff and Kidan, leading at one point to a confrontation that turned violent. — Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 5 July 2026 Karroll was hit in the back of his vest, while a second officer suffered bruising to her face and shoulder during the confrontation, Tisch said. — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 5 July 2026 Cape Verde gave the defending champions a major scare on Friday, forcing extra time before Argentina got by via a late own goal in an epic Round of 32 confrontation. — Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026 The acknowledgment reflects an unusual level of cooperation between Washington and Caracas despite years of intense political confrontation. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for confrontation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for confrontation

Noun

The TikTok edits, the outfit identification threads, the contestant rivalries trending on X by the end of an episode, all of it turns 60 minutes of passive viewing into a multi-platform conversation that runs all week.

— Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Rattín’s defiant gesture at Wembley also marked the beginning of the football rivalry between Argentina and England.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026

Definition of rivalry

Noun

True, nothing so grand as a massive dragon and naval battle took place, but seeing Rhaenyra start to change into someone almost unrecognizable from her younger, more innocent self was compelling in a deeper way.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
There have been naval battles and beheadings and aerial battles and, well, more beheadings.

— Brian Grubb, Vulture, 6 July 2026

Definition of battle

Noun

Clifford was impressed with Acuff’s ability to play through his early struggles.

— Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 5 July 2026
Older students and professionals face an existential struggle to find a job, according to Yahya Alhamarna, a 24-year-old author displaced in Gaza City.

— Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 5 July 2026

Definition of struggle

Noun

There are more moments to come, with SoFi Stadium slated to host Super Bowl LXI in February and then, in 2028, to stage the Olympic Opening Ceremony and the Olympic swimming competition.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
He was appointed for that competition’s 2022 final, having taken charge of the Europa League final a year earlier.

— Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 11 July 2026

Definition of competition

Noun

Gabriel and Haaland are key men for their countries, too; whoever shades their personal duel will have a great chance of finishing on the winning team.

— Jack Lang, New York Times, 5 July 2026
As with many Latin American and African teams, Paraguay defend deep and are extremely physical in duels and aerial battles.

— Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 3 July 2026

Definition of duel

Noun

The conflict has killed at least 59,000 people, displaced some 13 million and pushed many parts of Sudan into famine.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
After more than four years of war between Russia and Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a rare admission that the conflict has caused his country a problem.

— Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 7 July 2026

Definition of conflict

Noun

Both Russian and Ukrainian forces employ thousands of drones for reconnaissance, strike missions, electronic warfare, and logistics.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 10 July 2026
Italy and Poland cracked down on alleged spying by Russia, moves that come as analysts warned that the Kremlin may be looking to expand its use of hybrid warfare as its battlefield efforts in Ukraine stall.

— Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 10 July 2026

Definition of warfare

Noun

And components like steel, aluminium and copper coming from other parts of the globe recently were impacted by the Iran war.

— Anu Raghunathan, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026
As Trump confronts Iran war tensions at the NATO summit in Turkey, he is also set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is expected to press for more sanctions on Russia and speedier access to American defense systems.

— Jamie Gray, NBC news, 9 July 2026

Definition of war

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confront

confrontation

confrontational

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“Confrontation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confrontation. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of confrontation

noun

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