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
Deputies encountered the suspect, who was holding a knife and refusing to let go of the child.
—
Mark Price, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
Like van Gogh, Jobs encountered Shakespeare outside the classroom.
—Big Think, 3 Nov. 2025
This account of the allegations against Los Angeles hotelier Steve Farzam is based on official statements, court documents, investigation reports, interviews with law enforcement officials and people who encountered him over the years, his social media posts and other reporting from CNN.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025
Google and Fox fought over contracts last month, and earlier in October, NBCUniversal encountered a similar impasse with Google.
—Chris Sims, IndyStar, 31 Oct. 2025
One of the marvels of Incan design is its masonry, encountered frequently in Cuzco and all through Machu Picchu.
—Ryan Knighton, AFAR Media, 31 Oct. 2025
Boiseans have encountered Tamales Nelly at the Boise Farmers Market and other Treasure Valley events over the years.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 29 Oct. 2025
After fleeing, police from Newport encountered Nicolas on the Newport Southbank Bridge, also known as the Purple People Bridge.
—David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 29 Oct. 2025
The storm’s intensity has made these flights especially dangerous, as crews have encountered severe turbulence within the hurricane’s eyewall.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Mark Price, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
Like van Gogh, Jobs encountered Shakespeare outside the classroom.
—Big Think, 3 Nov. 2025
This account of the allegations against Los Angeles hotelier Steve Farzam is based on official statements, court documents, investigation reports, interviews with law enforcement officials and people who encountered him over the years, his social media posts and other reporting from CNN.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025
Google and Fox fought over contracts last month, and earlier in October, NBCUniversal encountered a similar impasse with Google.
—Chris Sims, IndyStar, 31 Oct. 2025
One of the marvels of Incan design is its masonry, encountered frequently in Cuzco and all through Machu Picchu.
—Ryan Knighton, AFAR Media, 31 Oct. 2025
Boiseans have encountered Tamales Nelly at the Boise Farmers Market and other Treasure Valley events over the years.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 29 Oct. 2025
After fleeing, police from Newport encountered Nicolas on the Newport Southbank Bridge, also known as the Purple People Bridge.
—David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 29 Oct. 2025
The storm’s intensity has made these flights especially dangerous, as crews have encountered severe turbulence within the hurricane’s eyewall.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encountered
Verb
-
Determined to stop the anti-imperial policies of Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, British and French representatives met with Israeli officials in October 1956 to forge a secret agreement for a coordinated offensive against Egypt.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
The leaders of the world's biggest economies met at the airport in Busan, an hour's drive away from the APEC host city of Gyeongju, for just an hour and 40 minutes.—
Se Eun Gong,
NPR,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The oldest, Banco Santander, was founded in 1857.—
Adam Gale,
Fortune,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The online education company, founded 20 years ago, has been hit by the rise of generative AI software tools, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, which have become increasingly popular among students.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Air Mail’s fate shows that even the masters of the old form faced major headwinds when trying to navigate the new media landscape.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
3 Nov. 2025
-
As Ella tries to find her way home, she's faced with the shock of modern technology.—
Breanne L. Heldman,
PEOPLE,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
When confronted, the student reportedly denied it but refused to provide the staffer with his backpack, according to the complaint.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
28 Oct. 2025
-
The school called my mom, who confronted the teacher.—
Erin Silvia,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In his recent appearance on Apple TV's The Reluctant Traveler, Eugene Levy meets the Prince of Wales, 43, on the grounds of Windsor Castle — and the actor is immediately caught off guard by the royal’s mode of transportation.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
-
People who caught the flu were up to six times more likely to have a heart attack in the month after the infection, and those who had Covid-19 had nearly twice the risk of developing heart disease or stroke compared with people who hadn’t been infected.—
Asuka Koda,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And thousands of people in Idaho were greeted with insurance rates that'll cost, on average, $100 more every month.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Oct. 2025
-
The three-time Cy Young Award winner was greeted rudely by a Shohei Ohtani lead-off double, but Scherzer managed to escape the inning unscathed.—
Kevin Dotson,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Encountered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encountered. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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