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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of encounters
Janay Reece, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Defining due regard So, what happens if one mission encounters another on the Moon?
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 16 Apr. 2026
While navigating the labyrinth with the help of Hoggle (Shari Weiser, voiced by Brian Henson), Sarah encounters one fantastical character after another, including The Worm (voiced by Timothy Bateson) and The Junk Lady (voiced by Denise Bryer).
—David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Apr. 2026
Powell said that makes sense, since his team often encounters people in need.
—Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2026
Two shots of the measles vaccine are about 97% effective in preventing illness, if given at least two weeks before the person encounters the virus.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 14 Apr. 2026
Directed by Lee Sang-min, the film stars Kim Hye-yoon and Lee Jong-won as a road-view camera crew that encounters terrifying supernatural events at a remote reservoir.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026
Pre-emergent herbicide, manual removal Crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) is a widespread lawn weed that everyone encounters at some point.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2026
Vorago’s microcontrollers extend reliability when the ship encounters those scenarios, the company says.
—Brandon Lingle, Austin American Statesman, 10 Apr. 2026
Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2026
Videos show people approaching the robot on city streets to shake hands, ask questions, and record interactions for social media, with these spontaneous encounters becoming central to its appeal.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 14 Apr. 2026
There’s certainly a learning curve at first, which led to some clunky encounters in those early hours of the game.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 14 Apr. 2026
In addition, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources notes that residential bear encounters can happen any time of the year.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 14 Apr. 2026
Even in recent encounters with reporters, Leo has opened in Italian before then answering in English.
—Bill Barrow, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
The safari park, known for its adorable one-on-one encounters, also has a petting zoo full of goats, otters, sheep, cows and lemurs.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
This can be read as a reflection on any number of late-era Soviet anxieties or encounters with the outside world.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026
Mail delivery service has been completely stopped in one Carson neighborhood due to an increase in coyote encounters in the area, neighbors say.
—Luzdelia Caballero, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
The brothers originally developed SafeWrap for hospitals and psychiatric patients, later modifying it for law enforcement's use of force encounters nationwide.
—Janay Reece, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Defining due regard So, what happens if one mission encounters another on the Moon?
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 16 Apr. 2026
While navigating the labyrinth with the help of Hoggle (Shari Weiser, voiced by Brian Henson), Sarah encounters one fantastical character after another, including The Worm (voiced by Timothy Bateson) and The Junk Lady (voiced by Denise Bryer).
—David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Apr. 2026
Powell said that makes sense, since his team often encounters people in need.
—Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2026
Two shots of the measles vaccine are about 97% effective in preventing illness, if given at least two weeks before the person encounters the virus.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 14 Apr. 2026
Directed by Lee Sang-min, the film stars Kim Hye-yoon and Lee Jong-won as a road-view camera crew that encounters terrifying supernatural events at a remote reservoir.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026
Pre-emergent herbicide, manual removal Crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) is a widespread lawn weed that everyone encounters at some point.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2026
Vorago’s microcontrollers extend reliability when the ship encounters those scenarios, the company says.
—Brandon Lingle, Austin American Statesman, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
The $100 admission includes food, beverages, live music, encounters with animals such as sloths and capybaras, and a silent auction.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2026
Videos show people approaching the robot on city streets to shake hands, ask questions, and record interactions for social media, with these spontaneous encounters becoming central to its appeal.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 14 Apr. 2026
There’s certainly a learning curve at first, which led to some clunky encounters in those early hours of the game.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 14 Apr. 2026
In addition, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources notes that residential bear encounters can happen any time of the year.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 14 Apr. 2026
Even in recent encounters with reporters, Leo has opened in Italian before then answering in English.
—Bill Barrow, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
The safari park, known for its adorable one-on-one encounters, also has a petting zoo full of goats, otters, sheep, cows and lemurs.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
This can be read as a reflection on any number of late-era Soviet anxieties or encounters with the outside world.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026
Mail delivery service has been completely stopped in one Carson neighborhood due to an increase in coyote encounters in the area, neighbors say.
—Luzdelia Caballero, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encounters
Verb
-
Listen to song after song and his funny quirks turn repetitive, with an overreliance on bass-heavy Detroit-meets-Memphis Young & Turnt 2 type beats that sound straight off the CMG assembly line.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
15 Apr. 2026
-
As passengers take their seats, crew members keep an eye on each row to ensure everyone meets the requirements.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The narrative begins shortly after September 11th, when Cukor finds himself among the first troops on the ground in Afghanistan.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Fluoride exposure from drinking water during childhood has no impact on IQ in adolescence or adulthood, a new study published Monday finds.—
Youri Benadjaoud,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The ceasefire brokered by Pakistan still faces hurdles in the talks beginning Saturday, as Israel and Hezbollah militants have been trading fire along the border of southern Lebanon and Iran has set conditions before negotiations can begin.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
In 2026, Lawler faces a tough re-election as Democrats set their sights on his suburban district.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The early skirmishes certainly appeared that way.—
Josh Gross,
Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The skirmishes are a preview for more campaigns later this year, when at least a half-dozen states will hold elections for utility regulators.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If the former is about the inevitability of falling in love, a complete surrender beyond the speaker’s control, the latter confronts the pain of romantic love’s aftermath.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Here, sister Norma heads a historic peasant organization in southern Mexico that confronts violence and impunity.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Procházka now holds a 6-2 record in the UFC with all eight fights ending inside the distance.—
Brett Appley,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Mecklenburg County has spent years at the center of political fights over immigration policy, particularly under McFadden.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If a passenger catches a fish during an excursion, it must be shipped home.—
Christopher Edwards,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Two years after opening Smoke Queen Barbecue’s first brick-and-mortar location in Garden Grove, Winnie Yee, one of the country’s few female pitmasters, still sometimes catches herself looking around the restaurant in disbelief.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Its Triple Lift System independently raises the mop and brushes to guarantee bone-dry rug transitions.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Use neutral tones and nail art brushes to recreate the look at home, or take these images straight to your nail tech.—
Georgia Day,
Vogue,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encounters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encounters. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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