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
By trapping and levitating phonons in a vacuum with an optical tweezer, the researchers demonstrated the technology with the device, but also encountered noise issues.
—
Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
Officers encountered large groups of juveniles downtown on Sunday and responded to multiple fights, officials said.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Upon arrival, crews encountered a detached garage fire, with exposure concerns to nearby structures, the news release said.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
The project grew out of testimonies Ozirna encountered in the early days of the war.
—Essie Assibu, Variety, 29 Mar. 2026
It is found growing at elevations from sea level to 5,000 feet but is infrequently encountered in the nursery trade.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
While heading for resupply before its next escort mission, the frigate encountered a minefield laid by Iran the night before, according to Cox.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 22 Mar. 2026
City officials said crews encountered unexpected conditions while removing aging infrastructure inside the pool, requiring additional time and specialized equipment.
—Faith Bugenhagen, Austin American Statesman, 21 Mar. 2026
Three people were taken to a hospital after a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles encountered turbulence shortly before landing in Sydney on Friday, health officials in Australia said.
—Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
Officers encountered large groups of juveniles downtown on Sunday and responded to multiple fights, officials said.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Upon arrival, crews encountered a detached garage fire, with exposure concerns to nearby structures, the news release said.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
The project grew out of testimonies Ozirna encountered in the early days of the war.
—Essie Assibu, Variety, 29 Mar. 2026
It is found growing at elevations from sea level to 5,000 feet but is infrequently encountered in the nursery trade.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
While heading for resupply before its next escort mission, the frigate encountered a minefield laid by Iran the night before, according to Cox.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 22 Mar. 2026
City officials said crews encountered unexpected conditions while removing aging infrastructure inside the pool, requiring additional time and specialized equipment.
—Faith Bugenhagen, Austin American Statesman, 21 Mar. 2026
Three people were taken to a hospital after a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles encountered turbulence shortly before landing in Sydney on Friday, health officials in Australia said.
—Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encountered
Verb
-
Nooshin Meshkaty, an Iranian American businessperson, said even though the government has tried to limit people for 47 years, it has always been met with resistance.—
Laurie Perez,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Heading into the season, however, the gamble was paying off — news of her casting was met with fan excitement and a preview of the season that aired after the Oscars drew more than 5 million viewers.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Its founding principles—informed by an environmentally-conscious ethos and values which ‘protect the islands, support local communities, and do business in a…fair and future-focused way,’ says Dixon—mirrored those at Nikoi, and still hold strong today.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
And the three who founded it in 1998 ran two unlicensed boarding schools in Missouri that have since been closed amid abuse allegations.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In June 2025, he was finally charged with Lynn's attack and faced a life sentence for each of the additional crimes he was now charged with.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Steyer faced questions about his offshore investments before.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The prosecutor said Abril confronted the couple, at which point James MacEgan was shot and killed, before Abril grabbed MacEgan’s wife and pulled her into the creek.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The sheriff said the child's father later confronted Duggar about the incidents on March 17 and the reality TV alum admitted to his actions to law enforcement in the city of Tontitown in northern Washington County, Arkansas.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
About 2% of authors were caught, and their papers rejected, Nature reported.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
26 Mar. 2026
-
In the past, ranching in the West has caught flak for its heavy footprint on the environment and overreliance on government subsidies.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Diners are greeted by marigold garlands, murals reminiscent of South Asian truck art, and a playlist that’s a rotation of '80s Bollywood hits.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Upon his arrival, Valle entered the interior of Fort Point and was greeted by members of the National Park Service.—
Molly McCrea,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encountered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encountered. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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