1
as in met
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 found
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
3
as in faced
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of encountered
Elsewhere, drivers encountered a very different kind of mess when a tractor-trailer hauling 40,000 pounds of extra-firm tofu crashed off a highway into a ravine in Missouri in March, The New York Times reported.
—
Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 23 June 2026
The Pew Research Center found that Google users who encountered an AI summary in response to their search term clicked on a link in the search results 8% of the time, compared to 15% of the time when no AI summary was offered.
—Matthew Kayser, Miami Herald, 22 June 2026
The screening generated immediate excitement, but the film soon encountered difficulties securing distribution.
—José Salazar, IndieWire, 22 June 2026
The snakes are often encountered on roads at night; many are killed by cars.
—Eva Flowe, Charlotte Observer, 22 June 2026
Officers encountered two adults allegedly fleeing from the store with a child and going into a vehicle, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, which is investigating the shooting, said.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 22 June 2026
Fans attending Sunday's FIFA World Cup match in Miami Gardens encountered gridlock, parking challenges and long walks as officials urged ticket holders to plan ahead and avoid unauthorized parking areas.
—Anna McAllister, CBS News, 22 June 2026
Upon arrival, deputies encountered a large block party and began efforts to disperse the crowd.
—Elainie Colton, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 June 2026
People who have never encountered Real Love are VERY skeptical of its possibility.
—Rich Schapiro, NBC news, 20 June 2026
Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 23 June 2026
The Pew Research Center found that Google users who encountered an AI summary in response to their search term clicked on a link in the search results 8% of the time, compared to 15% of the time when no AI summary was offered.
—Matthew Kayser, Miami Herald, 22 June 2026
The screening generated immediate excitement, but the film soon encountered difficulties securing distribution.
—José Salazar, IndieWire, 22 June 2026
The snakes are often encountered on roads at night; many are killed by cars.
—Eva Flowe, Charlotte Observer, 22 June 2026
Officers encountered two adults allegedly fleeing from the store with a child and going into a vehicle, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, which is investigating the shooting, said.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 22 June 2026
Fans attending Sunday's FIFA World Cup match in Miami Gardens encountered gridlock, parking challenges and long walks as officials urged ticket holders to plan ahead and avoid unauthorized parking areas.
—Anna McAllister, CBS News, 22 June 2026
Upon arrival, deputies encountered a large block party and began efforts to disperse the crowd.
—Elainie Colton, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 June 2026
People who have never encountered Real Love are VERY skeptical of its possibility.
—Rich Schapiro, NBC news, 20 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encountered
Verb
-
Scotland's Ben Gannon-Doak was trying to run down a long pass when Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou ran out to grab the ball, and both met in a crunching collision that left both players down for a minute.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 June 2026
-
They were all met with loud cheers on this Juneteenth evening.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
Amazon‘s Wondery is aiming to amplify the game of Boardroom, the media company founded by NBA champion Kevin Durant and his business partner Rich Kleiman, under a wide-ranging deal.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
22 June 2026
-
Things to do Menorca’s art scene dates from the 1960s when the Grupo Menorca founded the island’s first contemporary art gallery.—
Adrienne Wyper,
TheWeek,
22 June 2026
Verb
-
Boyd, a fourth-generation farmer and longtime civil rights advocate, said generations of Black farmers have faced barriers accessing government loans and agricultural assistance programs.—
Charlie Lapastora,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
-
During the 2024 school board elections, 27 of 47 prospective candidates faced objections, many of them from CTU, and more than a dozen were ultimately knocked off the ballot.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
Both tournaments brought disappointment and his reign as coach ended after being confronted at the team’s hotel in Abidjan by angry supporters.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
Video of the incident shows Backs being confronted and falling backward.—
Joan Murray,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
The excitement has also caught the attention of tourists.—
Hannah Kliger,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
-
If caught in a rip current, remain calm.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
The painter’s death was greeted with an outpouring of tributes from around the globe.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
22 June 2026
-
As the legend goes, when Zoroastrian refugees came ashore in western India, a local Hindu ruler greeted them with a vessel filled to the brim with milk.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encountered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encountered. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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