Synonyms of encountering

encountering

verb

present participle of encounter

1

as in confronting

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

• confronting
• meeting
• catching
• greeting
• happening (upon)
• running into
• stumbling (upon)
• facing
• running across
• bumping into
• running upon
• accosting
• crossing paths (with)
• chancing (upon)
• saluting
• crossing
• passing
• crisscrossing
• crashing (into)
• colliding (with)
• hitting (upon)
• tumbling (to)
• lighting (upon)
• reencountering
• remeeting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• avoiding
• escaping
• shaking
• evading
• dodging
• eluding
• shunning
• ducking

2

as in finding

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

• finding
• meeting
• facing
• running against
• hitting (upon)
• happening (on or upon)
• discovering
• confronting
• stumbling (on or onto)
• running into
• lighting (on or upon)
• coming across
• tumbling (upon)
• pitching (upon)
• running across
• bumping into
• running upon
• chancing (upon)
• lucking (out, on, onto, or into)
• turning up
• striking

3

as in facing

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

• facing
• meeting
• engaging
• battling
• fighting
• taking on
• opposing
• emulating
• contending
• rivaling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• escaping
• evading
• retreating
• eluding

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of encountering

After encountering precipitation and requesting to climb, the pilot declared an emergency as the aircraft began losing altitude at an alarming rate. — Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026

His buildings gradually became part of systems that sustained ways of living, working, making, encountering, maintaining. — Julian Rose, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026

Hands-on experiences dominate the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, where encountering artifacts that highlight aerospace history is on equal footing with learning about its future. — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026

For Mecca, Sydney Airport’s T1, which handled more than 17 million passengers in 2025, offers access to international consumers who may be encountering the retailer for the first time. — Kapila Ireland, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026

The incident began shortly before noon, when California Highway Patrol officers reported encountering a person armed with a knife during a traffic violation, according to the sheriff's office. — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Yiyun Li on encountering the past in writing Music Against the Night. — Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026

Skipping furnace servicing can also heighten your risk of encountering problems like carbon monoxide leaks, poor air quality, and airflow, and inconsistent heating. — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 15 Oct. 2026

As part of orchestrating this project, Simon was also involved in securing visas for the various international performers, encountering in the process the uneven access to travel for cultural workers across classes, nationalities, and milieus. — Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026