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

Nearly 90 industry partners are participating in Northern Strike, according to Wagh, allowing troops to work with developing capabilities before potentially encountering them in conflict. — Olivianna Calmes, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Still, these owners have dealt with all the pricing and supply chain uncertainties of the pandemic, and are now encountering issues with inflation, tariffs and more. — Jp Shaffer, Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2026

The video then shows James, the former law enforcement officer, running toward the drive-through and encountering the shooter. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026

Terrestrial data centers are also encountering constraints of their own. — Ben Topor, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

But those efforts have not stopped the league from encountering hurdles, even amid its ongoing season. — Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Garner had unknowingly driven about 20 miles from Cherokee to Tuscumbia before encountering Thompson. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 25 July 2026

According to the lawsuit, Walker began filming immigration agents in late March, after encountering a woman being detained in the San Francisco airport. — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026

Working in the emergency room for the first time during her internal medicine clerkship feels like encountering a tsunami, as classroom knowledge and limited clinical experiences are suddenly, and forcefully, put to the test. — Tahneer Oksman, NPR, 23 July 2026