ENCOUNTER Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

encounter 1 of 2

verb

in-ˈkau̇n-tər

Definition of encounter

as in to meet

to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face quite unexpectedly encountered our next-door neighbor while vacationing in Europe

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to find

to come upon unexpectedly or by chance we encountered a host of unforeseen problems during the restoration of our 200-year-old house

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in to face

to enter into contest or conflict with the troops encountered bands of guerrilla fighters as they made their way across the desert

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

encounter

2 of 2

noun

as in skirmish

a brief clash between enemies or rivals survived an encounter with the school bully at the local park

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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 encounter

Verb

The strongest plan is not the one that never encounters disruption. — Kristin Vance Richards, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 But the vast majority of people, including teens, who encounter extremist content online don’t embrace it. — Larry Magid, Mercury News, 30 July 2026

Noun

Two St Petersburg squad cars rolled up on him during one protest, prompting a community member to stop and film the encounter. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 30 July 2026 Along the way, unfamiliar landscapes and brief encounters reveal the fragile bonds holding their divided family together again. — John Hopewell, Variety, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for encounter

Recent Examples of Synonyms for encounter

Verb

Want to know what to wear to feel closer to yourself, how to update your home to meet a new phase of life, or ways to switch up a beauty routine during an important transit?

— Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Aug. 2026
Smith met the victim at Little Platte Swim Beach, the probable cause statement said, where three men allegedly approached the pair.

— Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of meet

Verb

Packable, walkable, comfortable—three keywords to bookmark when shopping for a travel sandal, though finding all of them in one pair can be a journey of its own.

— Rosie Jarman, Vogue, 3 Aug. 2026
If found not guilty due to a lack of criminal responsibility, she would be committed to a state mental health facility.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of find

Verb

What’s different this time is getting to the Diner, as both Santa Monica Blvd (which the Diner faces) and Sunset Blvd are seeing extended road work – some of it due to a water main that burst on July 16.

— Brooke Crothers, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Two Boston city councilors are pushing for a change in city law that would require Mayor Michelle Wu to report street projects annually as Wu faces criticism for stalling road work before a city employee was killed by a truck.

— Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 22 July 2026

Definition of face

Noun

The eagle, beloved worldwide through a Big Bear nest livestream with mate Shadow and eaglets Sandy and Luna, was rescued emaciated after a skirmish with younger birds.

— Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
There were one-on-one periods between the receivers and cornerbacks, a brief skirmish and extensive team periods.

— Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of skirmish

Verb

Loyalty programs can become harder to understand when members are confronted with dozens of offers that have little connection to the brand’s identity.

— Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Spidey confronts the teenage Jean, who mind-controls both the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Punisher (Jon Bernthal) in a fight against him during an attack on Damage Control headquarters.

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of confront

Noun

Other air styler round brushes leave my fine hair looking more wind-swept than blown-out, with a ton of fly-aways.

— Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 31 July 2026
Best mascara This mascara uses a brush with nearly 500 micro bristles to coat and lift every lash without clumping or smudging.

— Casey DelBasso, ABC News, 31 July 2026

Definition of brush

Verb

That also includes 2025, when he was traded midseason from the Eagles to the Jets, and in nine games for New York caught 29 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns.

— Alex Zietlow July 28, Charlotte Observer, 28 July 2026
Along with 2,460 rushing yards at Nebraska, Johnson caught 92 passes for 702 yards.

— Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026

Definition of catch

Noun

Fire crews in Spokane remained in an aggressive fight against three rapidly spreading wildfires Saturday evening, with officials warning that conditions are not expected to improve at night.

— Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
In parallel, the state disclosure rules and local fights over data centers and permitting will continue.

— Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026