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

Her experience of encountering that building becomes the film in that chapter. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026

Maresca, however, need not worry about encountering the same kind of spectacular fallout that blew apart relations between Tevez and City’s last Italian manager, Roberto Mancini. — Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Delman flew to Texas in December of 2001, encountering a much longer line than usual and the National Guard stationed at the airport. — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026

This way, trustworthiness beliefs already exist when people make choices and when encountering potential causes for concern like Fauci’s testimony. — John C. Besley, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026

After encountering Baumeister again the following year, Goodyear helped investigators obtain information that led them to identify Baumeister. — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Itauma has described moving to England with his family as a child after encountering racist abuse. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026

Those encountering Diesel’s Parton cover this week with no context may not know that there’s a rich history of Diesel singing dead-serious torch songs. — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026

My authority came from encountering life in the High Atlas Mountains before the present replaced the past, slowly but surely, leaving only memory and story in its wake. — Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026