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
-
Bat met ball and, under his breath, Astros manager Joe Espada muttered an expletive.
-
Her post and subsequent comment were met by a flood of support from fans and commenters.
Verb
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America, whose Constitution was formulated by white men, struggled to live up to its founding ideals in the days of slavery and displacement of Native Americans.
-
Dioz was co-founded by Johnny, 44, and his brother Tony in 2006.
Verb
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The governor faced mass backlash from activists across the country for his office's statement.
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Despite the widespread support in the Assembly, the bill faced a wide array of opposition that included trade groups for large social media companies, organizations that support young people and advocates for digital privacy.
Verb
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Once inside, she’s confronted by Tommy (James Eddie), who stupidly grabs her to escort her out.
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In September 2025, Kiara Jenkins was preparing to leave for a trip to Atlanta with friends when Eddie Jenkins showed up at her home dressed all in black with his hood up and confronted her about the trip, prosecutors said.
Verb
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While once exclusive to skateboarders for their ease of movement, thanks to a crop of particular designers’ spring/summer 2026 collections—from Dries Van Noten, to Khaite and TWP—they’ve caught the eye of the fashion set, too.
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The circular logic of it would be darkly comic if tens of thousands of livelihoods weren't caught in the middle.
Verb
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The painter’s death was greeted with an outpouring of tributes from around the globe.
-
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.
Cite this Entry
“Encountered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encountered. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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