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
Our reporting reveals that members and related officials have encouraged protesters to impede law enforcement; pushed civilians toward legally and physically risky confrontations; and helped mobilize a counterprotest that turned violent.
—
Christina Buttons, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Their detention came as the nation has watched confrontations between Minnesota protesters and ICE agents and the subsequent deaths of two American citizen protesters in Minneapolis who came into contact with federal officers during demonstrations in the state.
—Elizabeth Zavala, San Antonio Express-News, 31 Jan. 2026
As Operation Metro Surge got into full swing earlier this month, more than 3,000 federal immigration agents flooded into Minnesota, carrying out sweeping detentions and facing off with protesters in tense confrontations.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Amid the crackdown, Renee Good, 37, and Alex Pretti, 37, were both shot and killed by federal immigration authorities in separate confrontations, incensing large swaths of the nation.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026
Those protesting the immigration actions have found themselves at odds with federal agents, at times in confrontations that have resulted in gunfire and serious injury.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Brennan said the commission would allow Wisconsinites to submit video recordings, photos, testimony and other material related to incidents like the recent confrontations with Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, which resulted in their deaths.
—Molly Beck, jsonline.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Demonstrators have taken to the streets in response to the shootings, accusing federal authorities of excessive force, while law enforcement officials warn that misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric have fueled anger and confrontations.
—Stepheny Price , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The Administration is scrambling to contain the fallout from Minneapolis, where Pretti’s death was the second high-profile killing by federal agents in just over two weeks, and comes amid other confrontations that have drawn outrage.
—Philip Wang, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
Christina Buttons, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Their detention came as the nation has watched confrontations between Minnesota protesters and ICE agents and the subsequent deaths of two American citizen protesters in Minneapolis who came into contact with federal officers during demonstrations in the state.
—Elizabeth Zavala, San Antonio Express-News, 31 Jan. 2026
As Operation Metro Surge got into full swing earlier this month, more than 3,000 federal immigration agents flooded into Minnesota, carrying out sweeping detentions and facing off with protesters in tense confrontations.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Amid the crackdown, Renee Good, 37, and Alex Pretti, 37, were both shot and killed by federal immigration authorities in separate confrontations, incensing large swaths of the nation.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026
Those protesting the immigration actions have found themselves at odds with federal agents, at times in confrontations that have resulted in gunfire and serious injury.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Brennan said the commission would allow Wisconsinites to submit video recordings, photos, testimony and other material related to incidents like the recent confrontations with Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, which resulted in their deaths.
—Molly Beck, jsonline.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Demonstrators have taken to the streets in response to the shootings, accusing federal authorities of excessive force, while law enforcement officials warn that misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric have fueled anger and confrontations.
—Stepheny Price , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The Administration is scrambling to contain the fallout from Minneapolis, where Pretti’s death was the second high-profile killing by federal agents in just over two weeks, and comes amid other confrontations that have drawn outrage.
—Philip Wang, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confrontations
Noun
-
So brace yourselves for the regional rivalries.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets will meet again tonight in a matchup that remains one of the NBA's most heated rivalries, even as both franchises enter a rebuilding phase.—
Julianna Duennes Russ,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Submerged by a deluge of battles lost, assignments missed and a pair of deflections off Vancouver defenders into their own net.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Boats, motorcycles and chickens Neighbors’ recollections differ regarding the countless battles, what happened and when.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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After years of struggles with hearing loss, Bonnie Covey's personal story of restoration has helped others with their complications.—
Ray Padilla,
Louisville Courier Journal,
29 Jan. 2026
-
For those two teams and the Pacers, the absence of a talented player(s) from the year prior led to their struggles.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Carrick rates Maguire as a player and a person, just as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did, praising his ability to win duels.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Demon Slayer, the first of a series-ending film trilogy, is a master class in hyper-kinetic, violent battles and high-stakes melodrama, in which a sequence of epic duels is intercut with emotional character backstories.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Journal editors and professional societies can take early steps by adding a few positionality items to existing disclosure forms for psychedelic work and by asking authors to state briefly how experiential conflicts and role separation were handled in their trials.—
Ian Reardon,
STAT,
2 Feb. 2026
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California’s Department of Housing and Community Development has said previously that the height limit is a development standard that conflicts with density bonus law and has no authority over projects that meet the law’s affordability thresholds.—
Jennifer Van Grove,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Hiwa is preparing an official letter demanding that the International Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling suspend and ban Iran from all international competitions.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Its content features topics on skiing, snowboarding, mountains, ski resorts, travel guides, gear reviews, outdoor events, competitions or festivals and more.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
29 Jan. 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 5 Feb. 2026.
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