as in rivalries
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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Recent Examples of confrontations
The tension also spilled into his confrontations with the judicial branch.
—
Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the Israeli military’s Home Front Command to prepare itself for possible confrontations with the Islamic Republic, which officials anticipate could be initiated at any time.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 18 Feb. 2026
Miller famously struck out the Los Angeles Dodgers star and NL MVP in all five confrontations in 2024.
—Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
There had been previous confrontations between him and her relatives.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Need for speed Over the last decade, India and China have had several confrontations over the buildup of roads and infrastructure near the border.
—Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 17 Feb. 2026
Kim in recent months has sent thousands of troops and large quantities of military equipment, including artillery and missiles, to fuel Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine, as the leaders align i n the face of their separate confrontations with Washington.
—ABC News, 15 Feb. 2026
Many local police departments began to rethink their approach to the weapons following violent confrontations with protesters over the 2020 police killing of George Floyd.
—Natasha Korecki, NBC news, 14 Feb. 2026
Anyone who legally carries a firearm has a responsibility to carry it safely and to avoid confrontations or volatile situations.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the Israeli military’s Home Front Command to prepare itself for possible confrontations with the Islamic Republic, which officials anticipate could be initiated at any time.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 18 Feb. 2026
Miller famously struck out the Los Angeles Dodgers star and NL MVP in all five confrontations in 2024.
—Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
There had been previous confrontations between him and her relatives.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Need for speed Over the last decade, India and China have had several confrontations over the buildup of roads and infrastructure near the border.
—Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 17 Feb. 2026
Kim in recent months has sent thousands of troops and large quantities of military equipment, including artillery and missiles, to fuel Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine, as the leaders align i n the face of their separate confrontations with Washington.
—ABC News, 15 Feb. 2026
Many local police departments began to rethink their approach to the weapons following violent confrontations with protesters over the 2020 police killing of George Floyd.
—Natasha Korecki, NBC news, 14 Feb. 2026
Anyone who legally carries a firearm has a responsibility to carry it safely and to avoid confrontations or volatile situations.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confrontations
Noun
-
Listening felt like being pulled into side chats with lots of different characters who were at precisely the right level of intoxication to reveal something interesting to you—crushes, anxieties, rivalries.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
24 Feb. 2026
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Lucas was also an assistant coach with Kentucky and Duke — teams that have big in-state rivalries with Louisville and North Carolina, respectively.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The opening of Acorn Ridge Casino follows two decades of delays and legal battles regarding land, according to the Sacramento Business Journal.—
Emma Hall,
Sacbee.com,
24 Feb. 2026
-
The battles took place in modern-day Israel, Turkey, Syria and other Middle Eastern countries.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The idea is to catch reading struggles early on and guide parents on how to help their kids.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Real estate struggles and the property’s primary lender going through bankruptcy thrust the hotel into its first complicated foreclosure in October 2010.—
Zachary Hansen,
AJC.com,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Bernal would also provide a more physical presence in duels.—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Physical, mobile defender who excels in 1v1 duels and recovery defending.—
Abraham Nudelstejer,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Rapid Rehousing also teaches students about managing personal finances, understanding lease agreements, handling roommate conflicts, and planning for housing after graduation.—
CalMatters,
Oc Register,
24 Feb. 2026
-
As the play weaves through time, the focuses on the actions done for the benefit of Joe’s family, and his wife Kate’s moral compass, creating brutal conflicts.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In their past 15 meetings in all competitions since January 2020, Chelsea have won just once.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Pink proposed to Carey Hart at one of his competitions.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
An administration official would make a claim about what happened, and later evidence would find these contentions to be misleading.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Feb. 2026
-
However, the reality is that peace talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US and Europe are clearly stalled, if at worse dead with many contentions from both sides surrounding security concerns and, importantly, trade sanctions.—
Earl Carr,
Forbes.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Confrontations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confrontations. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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