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

Even in areas where sharks are commonly found, encounters with people rarely end in bites, Heithaus said. — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026

There the whole family encounters their corresponding foils from the well-off Oleson family, but Laura and Mary's encounter with young Nellie proves the most explosive. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026

When a user, expecting to install a trustworthy clipboard manager, encounters the disk image, they’re prompted to press Command-R immediately after double-clicking it. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026

Inspired by Tisdale French, 41, and her own journey as a mom, the show is described as a half-hour comedy about a new mom who encounters a crew of rich mothers with a darker side. — Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026

Safety tips Rip currents form after a wave crashes on shore and encounters an obstacle in the beach's topography, including low spots in sand bars and around piers. — Ash-Har Quraishi, CBS News, 1 July 2026

This real-life event, along with her desire for more Black representation in the genre, shaped the book's protagonist, Harmony Roundtree, a young Black girl who encounters a ghost in Savannah and gets pulled into a mystery. — Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026

Police have advised that anyone who encounters Dobbins to contact their local law enforcement agency. — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026

During routine work, R-Noid can perform tasks independently, while remote operators can intervene when the robot encounters unfamiliar situations or edge cases. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 23 June 2026

Noun

The idea was for Carrol to become an eyewitness to the sheriff’s encounters with others in the office, to foil potential future allegations of improper conduct, Carrol testified. — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 July 2026

Matthews works for Florida Shark Diving, one of several shark charter companies in southeast Florida that promise up-close encounters with some of the state’s apex predators. — Kairi Lowery, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026

Because there are no cars in the town center, the environment feels peaceful and human-scaled, encouraging spontaneous encounters with neighbors and friends. — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

The June 14 shooting has outraged community members and prompted protests in the small town of Senatobia, where residents point to a string of troubling encounters with police in recent years. — ABC News, 1 July 2026

The site hearkens back to Florida roadside attractions of the past but offers plenty of present-day opportunities for animal encounters amid a backdrop of tropical foliage. — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 30 June 2026

Serious encounters with alligators remain relatively rare, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission data, but there have been three attacks in the last seven days. — Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 30 June 2026

Alberta Parks provided advice for bear encounters, including traveling in groups, keeping pets on leashes, carrying bear spray and securing attractants. — Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026

Crews with older kids will find lots to love on the island of Java, and enthralling encounters with Bornean orangutans via riverboat cruise in Kalimantan. — Kathryn Romeyn, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 June 2026