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

Co-starring Madelyn Cline and Penélope Cruz, the film from director Marc Webb revolves around a private-yacht bartender (Cline) who encounters a mysterious, onboard guest (Depp). — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2026

Viscose Rugs Jones encounters many homeowners with viscose rugs but is determined that her clients do not go the route of this material. — Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 19 Sep. 2026

Anyone who encounters a dead or stranded marine mammal is urged to leave the animal alone and immediately report the sighting to local wildlife authorities or the Marine Mammal Stranding Network. — ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026

Their fragile relationship is disrupted when Sethu encounters a feral child in the forest and brings him home. — Ed Meza, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026

Layered within its experimental form is a commentary on immigration and 21st century America, as the family regularly encounters Latinx migrants whose own families have been disrupted by the indifference of American immigration policies. — Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026

Sometimes a starship encounters a cosmic entity that — for some hard-to-fathom reason — chooses to study lesser mortals by forcing them into a big old game of dress-up. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 Sep. 2026

That message feels just as important to Foster today, particularly as a new generation encounters the brand for the first time. — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026

Sometimes the upgrade is simply removing friction before the guest encounters it. — Jeffery Khoury, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Noun

In particular, look out for chance encounters around October 6 and 24. — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2026

According to Fish and Wildlife, black bear encounters resulting in human injury are rare in California. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026

Since the home’s restoration, there have been reports of spooky, unexplained encounters. — Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026

Book didn’t have numbers for homeless encounters at MIA, but a recent survey of the countywide homeless population found seven homeless people at the airport. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026

The statements come after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory in response to recent increases in encounters with animals that are carrying rabies. — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026

Crowe, watching from behind one-way glass and turning up in encounters beyond the confines of the study itself, gives that intensity a perfectly legible antagonist, if not always a valid one. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2026

Guests age 21 and older can party after dark with animal encounters, zoologist chats, photo ops and music. — Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026

Spencer arrested three times in September The violent weekend followed a series of encounters between Spencer and law enforcement. — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026