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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of encountering
Kairos has launched two times to date, encountering serious problems on each occasion.
—
Mike Wall, Space.com, 3 Mar. 2026
People who reported frequently encountering, commenting on or sharing political content online consistently exhibited the highest overall levels of political stress in our survey.
—Stephen Neely, The Conversation, 3 Mar. 2026
Of utmost importance is discretion and prioritizing de-escalation when encountering these situations.
—Chierstin Roth, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
Before encountering the issue, NASA officials had appeared optimistic that a successful fueling test had set the stage for a March launch.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
Never experienced With the increasing risk of encountering measles and pressure to immediately spot it, US health care workers face an unusual challenge.
—CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026
Divers and snorkelers weave through forests of giant kelp towers, encountering famously playful sea lions, neon fish, and even historic shipwrecks.
—Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2026
Patients have craved a solution after years of encountering lists that are often filled with inaccuracies, most notably whether doctors participate in an insurance plan’s network.
—Bob Herman, STAT, 19 Feb. 2026
For weeks, the courtroom has been filled with bereaved parents holding framed photos of their children who died after encountering harm on social media.
—Bobby Allyn, NPR, 18 Feb. 2026
Mike Wall, Space.com, 3 Mar. 2026
People who reported frequently encountering, commenting on or sharing political content online consistently exhibited the highest overall levels of political stress in our survey.
—Stephen Neely, The Conversation, 3 Mar. 2026
Of utmost importance is discretion and prioritizing de-escalation when encountering these situations.
—Chierstin Roth, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
Before encountering the issue, NASA officials had appeared optimistic that a successful fueling test had set the stage for a March launch.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
Never experienced With the increasing risk of encountering measles and pressure to immediately spot it, US health care workers face an unusual challenge.
—CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026
Divers and snorkelers weave through forests of giant kelp towers, encountering famously playful sea lions, neon fish, and even historic shipwrecks.
—Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2026
Patients have craved a solution after years of encountering lists that are often filled with inaccuracies, most notably whether doctors participate in an insurance plan’s network.
—Bob Herman, STAT, 19 Feb. 2026
For weeks, the courtroom has been filled with bereaved parents holding framed photos of their children who died after encountering harm on social media.
—Bobby Allyn, NPR, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encountering
Verb
-
Lawmakers are confronting the sudden reality of representing wary Americans in wartime and all that entails — with lives lost, dollars spent and alliances tested by a president’s unilateral decision to go to war with Iran.—
Lisa Mascaro,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Officers arrived within 57 seconds and rushed toward the shooter, confronting him in a volley of gunfire that ended the attack with the suspect on the ground.—
Chris Boyette,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
However, in the overtime period, Enriquez got his chance, finding the net to give the Cobras the golden goal in transition to win 2-1 over the Raptors.—
Breven Honda,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Board President Lynn Zeder emphasized the board and administrative staff have made progress toward finding a way to add the language to its curriculum.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
So far, only Stacey Wondra is facing criminal charges in the boy’s abduction.—
Alex Brizee
March 5,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Mar. 2026
-
That political alignment on one of the most pressing issues facing California may explain why voters are having such a difficult time deciding who to support.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The New York Times reported this week that the Assembly of Experts, a body tasked with selecting Khamenei’s replacement, was considering announcing Mojtaba as his father’s successor after meeting for deliberations.—
Jasmine Green,
NBC news,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Much like meeting Skarsgård, Reinsve remembers being just as scared about her character upon first read of Trier and co-writer Eskil Vogt's script.—
Gerrad Hall,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In his third season as starter, Maiava won’t have the benefit of one of college football’s best pass-catching pairs at his disposal.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Besides not developing cancer, bats also resist catching infections, such as COVID, from other animals.—
Milly Dawson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Now, instead of greeting airline passengers, the statue will stand in a ballpark visited by millions each season — shifting the debate from an airport terminal to one of the state’s most visible sports stages.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
4 Mar. 2026
-
People campaigning for Fred Tate and Armin Mizani, Republican candidates for House District 98, and Democratic Senate candidate Jasmine Crockett were greeting voters on their way in, including Mizani himself.—
Rachel Royster
Updated March 3,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encountering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encountering. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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