1
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
2
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of encounter
Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 30 May 2026
Its courses are developed by more than 100 linguists and language educators, with lessons built around practical dialogue, cultural context, and situations people actually encounter.
—Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 30 May 2026
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 29 May 2026
The man recalled from his bed at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento an encounter with the man later identified as Smiley Martin — the third suspect in the closing-time shootings.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for encounter
Verb
The best safety measure when encountering bees near nests is to leave the area and create distance to avoid being stung by female carpenter bees.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 30 May 2026
Its courses are developed by more than 100 linguists and language educators, with lessons built around practical dialogue, cultural context, and situations people actually encounter.
—Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 30 May 2026
Noun
The globular cluster Omega Centauri, for example, may have started out as a small galaxy before being stripped of many stars by an encounter with our own large spiral galaxy, the Milky Way.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 29 May 2026
The man recalled from his bed at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento an encounter with the man later identified as Smiley Martin — the third suspect in the closing-time shootings.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for encounter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encounter
Verb
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And in case there were any remaining doubts that masks never had the slightest chance of stopping respiratory viruses, of the studies that met their inclusion criteria, all of them came after 2019.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
-
In this screen-free environment, the two narrators meet and form a friendship that strengthens them both.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
By greatly expanding the dimensions of his images, with their muted palettes, tight cropping, found symmetries, and laconic wit, had the maestro of the photographic epigram betrayed his subtractive aesthetic?—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
Everyone will find the easy-access power outlets and bedside controls a plus.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
With California facing increasingly destructive wildfires, experts and officials have long urged the strategic removal of dense, flammable vegetation that can erupt into particularly destructive flames from a lightning bolt or the spark of a power line.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
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But rescuers caution that the remaining four men face an equally dangerous journey to safety.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Inconspicuous blows against Denver escalated to skirmishes.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
-
Meanwhile, the religious right profited handsomely from the skirmish.—
Isaac Butler,
New Yorker,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, their friends are also navigating the ups and downs of love and friendship, confronting the bittersweet challenges of growing up and moving on.—
Rich Heldenfels,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
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What Keynes underestimated, and what many of today’s AI evangelists tend not to confront, is that progress unfolds inside social systems structured by power.—
Christopher Marquis,
Time,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Perhaps there's a fussy Phillies fan in footy pajamas who balks at the twice-daily ritual but might be more inclined to brush because Harper does it, as well.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
-
This isn’t the band’s first brush with viral fame.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
On Wednesday afternoon, the Indiana Fever superstar took advantage of an off day to catch some MLB action at Oracle Park.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
28 May 2026
-
The Quality Paperback Book Club knew how to catch your eye.—
John Ficarra,
Washington Post,
28 May 2026
Noun
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The larger federal action was still a budget-and-eligibility fight dressed up in the language of reform.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
Congress, not the budget, had the last word Behind the single lease sat a much larger fight.—
Ingmar Rentzhog,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encounter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encounter. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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