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
Later confrontations with Hezbollah in 2006 saw Kfar Chouba completely destroyed.
—
Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
His populist rhetoric and attempts to build an independent political base led to confrontations with clerical authorities in the early 2010s.
—Roxane Razavi, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
Watson founded the global Sea Shepherd conservation movement in the 1970s and for decades won a fearsome reputation for ramming vessels and other aggressive tactics in confrontations on the high seas that repeatedly landed him in jail.
—CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
The tense and often violent confrontations outside the Broadview facility included questionable tactics by the federal officers with their use of tear gas and less-lethal munitions on demonstrators.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Tortorella brings the reputation into the veteran locker room of a fiery coach who doesn't back down from confrontations, often winning early before later wearing thin with his players.
—ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
While most gatherings were reportedly peaceful, authorities and media reported clashes late in the day outside federal properties in Los Angeles and Portland, where police issued dispersal orders and made arrests after confrontations at sites associated with immigration enforcement and detention.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
The massive expansion of enforcement operations drew local resistance from activists, leading to clashes with federal agents and the deaths of residents Good and Pretti during confrontations with ICE and Border Patrol.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 28 Mar. 2026
Richter and Henke said the best way to avoid confrontations with coyotes is to eliminate food sources, whether by not feeding them directly, bringing pet food indoors or securing garbage.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026
Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
His populist rhetoric and attempts to build an independent political base led to confrontations with clerical authorities in the early 2010s.
—Roxane Razavi, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
Watson founded the global Sea Shepherd conservation movement in the 1970s and for decades won a fearsome reputation for ramming vessels and other aggressive tactics in confrontations on the high seas that repeatedly landed him in jail.
—CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
The tense and often violent confrontations outside the Broadview facility included questionable tactics by the federal officers with their use of tear gas and less-lethal munitions on demonstrators.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Tortorella brings the reputation into the veteran locker room of a fiery coach who doesn't back down from confrontations, often winning early before later wearing thin with his players.
—ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
While most gatherings were reportedly peaceful, authorities and media reported clashes late in the day outside federal properties in Los Angeles and Portland, where police issued dispersal orders and made arrests after confrontations at sites associated with immigration enforcement and detention.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
The massive expansion of enforcement operations drew local resistance from activists, leading to clashes with federal agents and the deaths of residents Good and Pretti during confrontations with ICE and Border Patrol.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 28 Mar. 2026
Richter and Henke said the best way to avoid confrontations with coyotes is to eliminate food sources, whether by not feeding them directly, bringing pet food indoors or securing garbage.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confrontations
Noun
-
Timoja had been misinformed that the ruler of Goa, Yusuf Adil Shah, had died, leaving behind a young and inexperienced successor, and that internal rivalries among Deccan rulers had further weakened Goa.—
Sanat Pai RaikarAll,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Apr. 2026
-
But there were also rivalries — and who got to control a bigger share of the work was hotly contested.—
Fatma Tanis,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Through the personal stories of activists and intense courtroom battles, host Brendan Patrick Hughes explores themes of faith, rebellion, and the complexities of confronting injustice, ultimately offering a compelling blueprint for modern activism.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
-
This year’s Supreme Court election stands in stark contrast to the swing state’s previous two, where national spending records were set in battles over majority control.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Meta suggested that Kaley’s mental-health struggles were attributable not to social-media addiction but, rather, to her mother’s emotional and physical abuse and neglect, and that Kaley’s social-media use was not the source of her troubles but a way to cope with them.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The mayor last December went on to lose a historic budget vote, in what one ally declared was a return of the 1980s Council Wars – a reference to the struggles of former Mayor Harold Washington.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin both have the ability to win aerial duels and run off their partner’s flick-ons.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
-
In Dumas’ work, fights and duels and brave assaults on prisons are done grandly, out in the open.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But rather that sometimes, particularly with adult-child conflicts, the adult has to be very intentional about trying their best and assuming the best of the child.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Spring is in the air, international conflicts are at a fever pitch and the World Cup matches in Atlanta are less than three months away.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The case presents an interesting account of sports business and higher ed decision-making at a time when many colleges are in expensive competitions for coaches who are paid millions of dollars, and where athletes are now paid through revenue sharing and NIL.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
3 Apr. 2026
-
According to the cafe’s social media, Subculture previously held latte art competitions and open mic nights.—
Abigail Hasebroock,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The passing of time is the only thing that will reveal the veracity of their contentions and what some of the underlying numbers suggest regarding the quality of their at-bats not being reflected in their production.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Confrontations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confrontations. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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