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
Two men shot by Denver police – one who was killed and one seriously injured – in separate confrontations in late August were wielding fake guns, Denver Police Department officials said Thursday.
—
Katie Langford, Denver Post, 5 Sep. 2025
Cow attacks previously prompted by dogs Dangerous and occasionally fatal confrontations with cows are a common occurence during mountain hikes in Austria often prompted by dog, according to Frankfurter Allgemeine.
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2025
In ancient humans and other primates, reputational damage can bar access to food and mates, incite physical confrontations and, in extreme cases, lead to potentially fatal ostracism.
—Clarissa Brincat, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2025
But his inexperience on the world stage has sometimes led to high-octane confrontations.
—Francesca Chambers, The Enquirer, 30 Aug. 2025
To be fair, there are several electric confrontations, distributed evenly enough to ensure that After the Hunt remains absorbing.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 29 Aug. 2025
As media coverage focused on looting and disorder, some confrontations between White and Black residents grew violent.
—Avalon Hester, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
In addition to gang recruitment, children are being forced into combat roles, directly participating in armed confrontations.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2025
Democratic strategists argue the confrontations are energizing their base.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2025
Katie Langford, Denver Post, 5 Sep. 2025
Cow attacks previously prompted by dogs Dangerous and occasionally fatal confrontations with cows are a common occurence during mountain hikes in Austria often prompted by dog, according to Frankfurter Allgemeine.
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2025
In ancient humans and other primates, reputational damage can bar access to food and mates, incite physical confrontations and, in extreme cases, lead to potentially fatal ostracism.
—Clarissa Brincat, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2025
But his inexperience on the world stage has sometimes led to high-octane confrontations.
—Francesca Chambers, The Enquirer, 30 Aug. 2025
To be fair, there are several electric confrontations, distributed evenly enough to ensure that After the Hunt remains absorbing.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 29 Aug. 2025
As media coverage focused on looting and disorder, some confrontations between White and Black residents grew violent.
—Avalon Hester, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
In addition to gang recruitment, children are being forced into combat roles, directly participating in armed confrontations.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2025
Democratic strategists argue the confrontations are energizing their base.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confrontations
Noun
-
Still one of the NFL’s nastiest division rivalries, the game was full of skirmishes and a near-costly unnecessary roughness penalty late in the third against the Eagles that put the Cowboys in position to take the lead.—
Dan Gelston,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Premiering in 2011, the edgy comedy follows Annie Walker (Kristen Wiig) as her life unravels while serving as maid of honor for her best friend Lillian Donovan (Maya Rudolph), leading to a string of wedding planning mishaps and bridal party rivalries.—
Emily Blackwood,
People.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
As a smart two-way player who can win board battles and create offense off the rush, Celebrini’s game translated extremely favorably to the pro ranks.—
Chris Johnston,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Launched in 2003, this sci-fi MMORPG has played host to epic spaceship battles and intergalactic heists on a scale that most other multiplayer games can only dream of.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Before welcoming William, the couple endured a six-year-long road to parenthood that included health issues for each of them in addition to their fertility struggles.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Fall in Michigan means less and less daylight as the season goes on and for many that signals the start of seasonal mental health struggles, though coping strategies can help, experts say.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The 27-year-old is technical, strong in duels, has a great engine to move up and down the pitch, a good ball progresser and reader of the game.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
-
From playoff duels to major championship showdowns, their careers have been intertwined since the late 1990s.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The multibillion-dollar deal brings an end to legal conflicts that captured global attention and cements a clear future for the companies at the center of American and international news.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The laboratory also stressed the need for resilience against electronic warfare, particularly GPS jamming and spoofing, which have become common tactics in modern conflicts.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The story is different in the three UEFA competitions, and nine English clubs had to consider their approach with continental rules in mind, too.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The piracy network showed unauthorized streams of NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL games, as well as soccer matches from England’s Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, and other European leagues, plus games from Major League Soccer, UEFA competitions, and qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup.—
Scharon Harding,
ArsTechnica,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Many types of delusional disorders involve specific claims or contentions.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Confrontations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confrontations. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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