Synonyms of encounters

encounters 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of encounter

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

• meets
• confronts
• catches
• greets
• happens (upon)
• runs into
• stumbles (upon)
• runs upon
• runs across
• chances (upon)
• bumps into
• faces
• accosts
• crosses paths (with)
• passes
• salutes
• crosses
• crashes (into)
• collides (with)
• tumbles (to)
• crisscrosses
• hits (upon)
• reencounters
• lights (upon)
• remeets

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• escapes
• avoids
• shakes
• eludes
• evades
• shuns
• ducks
• dodges

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

• finds
• meets
• runs against
• happens (on or upon)
• stumbles (on or onto)
• comes across
• hits (upon)
• runs into
• tumbles (upon)
• runs across
• faces
• chances (upon)
• pitches (upon)
• lights (on or upon)
• discovers
• confronts
• runs upon
• bumps into
• lucks (out, on, onto, or into)
• turns up
• strikes

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

• faces
• meets
• engages
• fights
• battles
• takes on
• contends
• rivals
• emulates
• opposes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• escapes
• eludes
• evades
• retreats

encounters

2 of 2

noun

plural of encounter

as in skirmishes

a brief clash between enemies or rivals

survived an encounter with the school bully at the local park

Synonyms & Similar Words

• skirmishes
• fights
• brushes
• run-ins
• brawls
• arguments
• scrapes
• quarrels
• battles
• hassles
• squabbles
• spats
• tiffs
• rows
• wrangles
• frays

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of encounters

Verb

The agent encounters its own limitations, its own failure modes, its own unexpected strengths. — John Werner, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

The players in this year’s final will all know each other well from La Liga encounters — 24 of the 52 across both squads feature for Spanish clubs (18 for Spain and six for Argentina). — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 20 July 2026

In Homer’s epic, Circe is one of several powerful women Odysseus encounters — and eventually sleeps with — during his journey home. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 18 July 2026

Over the course of 22 episodes, the Doomies crew encounters vampires, parasitic demons, vicious mermaids, and some spirits specific to French folklore, all rendered as real threats towards our heroes. — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 17 July 2026

But the keys can also flash amber when Codex requires feedback or a decision from a human operator and red when a thread encounters an error, letting users know at a glance which of their Codex tasks needs immediate attention. — Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 15 July 2026

The film tells the story of Rita (Coon), a woman in midlife haunted by the weight of her past, encounters magnetic young spiritual leader Ricki (James) and leaves her family to follow her to an all-female commune. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 14 July 2026

Along the way, our hero encounters the sorceress Circe, who turns his companions into pigs; makes a descent into Hades; fights the song of the sirens; and survives the island of the nymph Calypso. — Valentina Colosimo, Vanity Fair, 14 July 2026

Bar Tab Taran Dugal encounters spirits steps from Green-Wood Cemetery. — Marina Harss, New Yorker, 10 July 2026

Noun

Viewers who follow the company’s commercials are likely to have new encounters with the LiMu Emu – and Doug. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 July 2026

Local police routinely receive extensive instruction in traffic stops, neighborhood patrol, crisis intervention, de-escalation, and managing unpredictable encounters with the public. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 19 July 2026

Their activity ramps up throughout spring and summer, increasing the chance of unwanted encounters around decks, gardens, and outdoor living spaces. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 19 July 2026

State law also requires agencies that choose to deploy body cameras to adopt policies governing when officers must record law enforcement encounters, including traffic stops. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 19 July 2026

Recent cases crumble under weight of scrutiny Hurtado-Cariaco’s story appears to be emblematic of a broader pattern – where government accounts of encounters with immigration agents crumble under the weight of later scrutiny. — Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

The rhythm is dictated by the tide, instead of by game-drive schedules, and many of the most memorable encounters happen while snorkeling, scuba diving, or simply watching the ocean from the dunes. — Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Before resuming a tactic that has produced multiple fatal encounters, investigators and the public deserve full clarity as to what happened. — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026

The shocking truth led to emotional encounters Morrison now lives in Colorado City, Colorado, and works as a welding inspector for a wind energy company. — Thomas Peipert, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026