1
as in meets
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in finds
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 faces
to enter into contest or conflict with
the troops encountered bands of guerrilla fighters as they made their way across the desert
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of encounters
Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
But the film is at its strongest during a sequence when Salim (Saleh Bakri), the son of Sharif and father of Noor, encounters Israeli soldiers who belittle him in front of his son while both on their way to pick up a prescription for Salim’s ailing father.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
On his way to a Harlem fundraiser for a friend running for office (Aldis Hodge), Clay encounters a strange white woman on the train.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 3 Jan. 2026
How to make time for workouts In her clinic, Pasculli encounters lots of patients who struggle with scheduling exercise into their calendars.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, along his journey, Odysseus encounters iconic figures from Greek mythology, including the nymph Calypso, the sorceress Circe and the goddess Athena, all while striving to reunite with his family.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 27 Dec. 2025
Delivered in the style of a classic storybook cartoon, à la Winnie the Pooh, Stan encounters a group of seemingly benevolent woodland creatures who need a manger for the birth of their savior.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Dec. 2025
Beyond revenue, the company also measures success through social engagement, repeat purchases and cross-category shopping—whether that’s a customer who first encounters Wrangler through a collaboration and later returns for denim or home goods.
—Andre Claudio, Sourcing Journal, 12 Dec. 2025
Luckily, Dek soon encounters a legless android named Thia, played with pluck by Elle Fanning.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Jan. 2026
Experts say there is no clear pattern behind recent shark encounters, emphasizing that the ocean is a dynamic environment where humans enter the natural habitat of marine predators.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
For months, federal agents' actions played out in Chicago's streets, and videos of those encounters were shown in Ellis' courtroom.
—Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
The rise in fatal encounters with federal agents The shooting of the woman, identified by family members as Renee Nicole Good, 37, occurred as Homeland Security escalates immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota by deploying 2,000 agents and officers.
—Claudia Lauer, Twin Cities, 8 Jan. 2026
Through intimate encounters and unfiltered conversations, White Man Walking captures a nation riven by fear, disinformation, and historical grievance, while also offering glimpses of empathy and human connection.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
There will be snow, an ice rink, roasting marshmallows around a campfire, winter wonderland character encounters, a light walk, bounce house playland, free photo booth and food vendors selling refreshments.
—Pomerado News, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Flirty texts, meaningful exchanges and chance encounters spark something unexpected, especially through everyday moments like errands, commutes or late-night chats that start casually and end with momentum.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
The effect of climate change on traditional bear food sources, a steep population decline in rural areas, and the decreasing number of hunters have been cited as factors driving the rise in bear encounters.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
Still deeply scarred by his ex-lover’s death, Pine surprisingly encounters his nemesis in person when Roper and his late-arriving entourage check into the hotel.
—Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
But the film is at its strongest during a sequence when Salim (Saleh Bakri), the son of Sharif and father of Noor, encounters Israeli soldiers who belittle him in front of his son while both on their way to pick up a prescription for Salim’s ailing father.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
On his way to a Harlem fundraiser for a friend running for office (Aldis Hodge), Clay encounters a strange white woman on the train.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 3 Jan. 2026
How to make time for workouts In her clinic, Pasculli encounters lots of patients who struggle with scheduling exercise into their calendars.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, along his journey, Odysseus encounters iconic figures from Greek mythology, including the nymph Calypso, the sorceress Circe and the goddess Athena, all while striving to reunite with his family.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 27 Dec. 2025
Delivered in the style of a classic storybook cartoon, à la Winnie the Pooh, Stan encounters a group of seemingly benevolent woodland creatures who need a manger for the birth of their savior.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Dec. 2025
Beyond revenue, the company also measures success through social engagement, repeat purchases and cross-category shopping—whether that’s a customer who first encounters Wrangler through a collaboration and later returns for denim or home goods.
—Andre Claudio, Sourcing Journal, 12 Dec. 2025
Luckily, Dek soon encounters a legless android named Thia, played with pluck by Elle Fanning.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
Season 2 begins with Langdon's first day back in action, which will inevitably lead to some awkward encounters.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Jan. 2026
Experts say there is no clear pattern behind recent shark encounters, emphasizing that the ocean is a dynamic environment where humans enter the natural habitat of marine predators.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
For months, federal agents' actions played out in Chicago's streets, and videos of those encounters were shown in Ellis' courtroom.
—Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
The rise in fatal encounters with federal agents The shooting of the woman, identified by family members as Renee Nicole Good, 37, occurred as Homeland Security escalates immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota by deploying 2,000 agents and officers.
—Claudia Lauer, Twin Cities, 8 Jan. 2026
Through intimate encounters and unfiltered conversations, White Man Walking captures a nation riven by fear, disinformation, and historical grievance, while also offering glimpses of empathy and human connection.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
There will be snow, an ice rink, roasting marshmallows around a campfire, winter wonderland character encounters, a light walk, bounce house playland, free photo booth and food vendors selling refreshments.
—Pomerado News, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Flirty texts, meaningful exchanges and chance encounters spark something unexpected, especially through everyday moments like errands, commutes or late-night chats that start casually and end with momentum.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
The effect of climate change on traditional bear food sources, a steep population decline in rural areas, and the decreasing number of hunters have been cited as factors driving the rise in bear encounters.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encounters
Verb
-
The new library would replace Truckee’s existing 50-year-old structure, which supporters say no longer meets the needs of a growing population.—
Daniel Hunt,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Tesla shareholders have approved a conditional pay package for CEO Elon Musk that could unlock up to a trillion dollars in stock if the company meets specific criteria, according to preliminary results from the annual shareholder meeting.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The patient thriller finds Agnes lonely in her seedy motel, with a phone that often rings, though the person on the other end of the line never speaks.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Don’t miss out on fuzzy socks, best-selling makeup, clever home organizing essentials, and more under-the-radar finds starting at $4.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Still, the company faces the same existential headwinds that have scared other would-be moguls away from the news business.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
-
At Barton Creek Technologies, Anna Chen, the chief human resources officer, faces a dilemma over the company’s performance improvement plan (PIP).—
Harvard Business Review,
Harvard Business Review,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Hundreds of thousands of civilians were displaced from their homes in both countries when border skirmishes broke out for the second time this year.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Dec. 2025
-
For more than a century, Thailand and Cambodia have contested sovereignty at various undemarcated points along their 817-kilometer (508-mile) land border – a dispute that has occasionally exploded into skirmishes and fighting.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
27 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Freedom of assembly and association has deteriorated, while independent civil society confronts shrinking space to operate.—
Tharo Khun,
Sourcing Journal,
8 Jan. 2026
-
On a remote island in the Chesapeake Bay, a deeply rooted Christian fishing community confronts the erosion of land and tradition, as their centuries-old way of life, anchored in faith, approaches a turning point.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
According to reports, there were fights in the snake-like queue that formed.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Town budgets, school boards, zoning fights, shoreline resilience — these are problems that punish purity.—
Robert T.F. Downes,
Hartford Courant,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Australian Geographic reports that the bird catches prey midair during hunting.—
Marina Watts,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Despite these close ties, the identity of the murderer catches her completely by surprise.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Her brushes guided her into a new era—one where art would no longer be a side passion, but the foundation of a visual language that continues to deepen, expand, and heal.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Switching brushes in Photoshop, inserting a new row in Excel, skipping slides in PowerPoint, or jumping between those applications can now be done with a single gesture.—
Maryna Holovnova,
New Atlas,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Encounters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encounters. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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