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
Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
Her third feature, Dora, is said to center on a young woman carrying physical and emotional scars who encounters another woman in a seaside village, setting the stage for a slow, transformative healing process.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
Katherine McKenzie, the director of the Yale Center for Asylum Medicine, which conducts physical evaluations of people who are applying for asylum, said her organization typically encounters one or two cases a year of female genital mutilation.
—Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 12 Mar. 2026
This tree encounters few diseases, and most issues are resolved by increasing airflow.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 Mar. 2026
Collins said the town, with 85 trains passing through each day, encounters safety issues with its railroad crossings.
—Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
The material acts somewhat like a sponge, passively collecting traces of chemicals the wearer encounters during daily activities.
—Yaw Edu Essandoh, The Conversation, 9 Mar. 2026
The protagonist encounters advances in nanotechnology, brain-machine interfaces and space exploration through personal encounters rather than global events, moving from initial resistance through gradual acceptance while maintaining her essential identity.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
When a radio wave encounters an electron in interstellar space, lower radio frequencies interact more strongly than higher frequencies, causing the lower frequencies to be delayed and arrive at their destination later than higher frequencies.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Throughout the level, usually before tough encounters, players have a Hatch that becomes a save point.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2026
In February, Carney and Mooresville Police Chief Ron Campurciani refuted claims in two federal lawsuits against the town about Carney’s behavior during two late-night encounters involving police.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 16 Mar. 2026
Click through our gallery to see some of our favorite surprise encounters, unexpected celebrity pairings, and old-time reunions at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party 2026.
—Vanity Fair, 16 Mar. 2026
Many celebrities – including Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber – have faced similar disturbing encounters.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 15 Mar. 2026
The movie, a tall tale of clothes encounters, doesn’t always work.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 13 Mar. 2026
Wildlife Spotting Since there are few crowds at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, this is arguably one of the best national parks for wildlife encounters in the Midwest.
—Karthika Gupta, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2026
Williams and Arnaud shared an identical graphic to their respective Instagram Stories on Monday that suggested their encounters with the negative side of fan posting have become unbearable.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
Trump has made a habit of going off script during televised Oval Office encounters with foreign leaders.
—Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
Her third feature, Dora, is said to center on a young woman carrying physical and emotional scars who encounters another woman in a seaside village, setting the stage for a slow, transformative healing process.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
Katherine McKenzie, the director of the Yale Center for Asylum Medicine, which conducts physical evaluations of people who are applying for asylum, said her organization typically encounters one or two cases a year of female genital mutilation.
—Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 12 Mar. 2026
This tree encounters few diseases, and most issues are resolved by increasing airflow.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 Mar. 2026
Collins said the town, with 85 trains passing through each day, encounters safety issues with its railroad crossings.
—Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
The material acts somewhat like a sponge, passively collecting traces of chemicals the wearer encounters during daily activities.
—Yaw Edu Essandoh, The Conversation, 9 Mar. 2026
The protagonist encounters advances in nanotechnology, brain-machine interfaces and space exploration through personal encounters rather than global events, moving from initial resistance through gradual acceptance while maintaining her essential identity.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
When a radio wave encounters an electron in interstellar space, lower radio frequencies interact more strongly than higher frequencies, causing the lower frequencies to be delayed and arrive at their destination later than higher frequencies.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Noun
All of the encounters were with adults.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Throughout the level, usually before tough encounters, players have a Hatch that becomes a save point.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2026
In February, Carney and Mooresville Police Chief Ron Campurciani refuted claims in two federal lawsuits against the town about Carney’s behavior during two late-night encounters involving police.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 16 Mar. 2026
Click through our gallery to see some of our favorite surprise encounters, unexpected celebrity pairings, and old-time reunions at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party 2026.
—Vanity Fair, 16 Mar. 2026
Many celebrities – including Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber – have faced similar disturbing encounters.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 15 Mar. 2026
The movie, a tall tale of clothes encounters, doesn’t always work.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 13 Mar. 2026
Wildlife Spotting Since there are few crowds at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, this is arguably one of the best national parks for wildlife encounters in the Midwest.
—Karthika Gupta, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2026
Williams and Arnaud shared an identical graphic to their respective Instagram Stories on Monday that suggested their encounters with the negative side of fan posting have become unbearable.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encounters
Verb
-
Head over early or book a reservation—you’ll feel the pull of its moody lighting, Baja-meets-Pacific-Rim menu, and views.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Senate Transportation Committee meets to consider House Bill 1230, which would prohibit the operation of unmanned aircraft systems over places of incarceration.—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That decline in leadership shows up in surveys like the Pew Research Center’s benchmark poll, which finds that trust in government to do what’s right is hovering near historic lows.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The series once again finds itself in a prescient position with the industry on the precipice of an extinction-level event, and Valerie once again rises to the occasion with a message worth hearing, delivered with a smile that’s improbably radiant.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The driver, 21-year-old Joel Gandarilla, was hospitalized and faces a charge of evading detention with a vehicle, according to the Police Department’s online arrest records.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Mar. 2026
-
The move comes as the administration faces backlash and legal challenges over other major construction projects in Washington including construction of the White House ballroom, a two-year renovation of the Kennedy Center, and the possible construction of a triumphal arch.—
Emma Nicholson,
CBS News,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The war began after several rounds of airstrikes and cross-border skirmishes, stemming from Pakistani claims that the Afghan government was harboring terrorists who used the country as a base to launch attacks against Pakistan.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The two also got into multiple skirmishes back in December during a recent Lakers-Suns game, including James knocking down Brooks after some contact from the NBA's all-time leading scorer.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
China aims to expand its strategic oil reserves, according to its latest five-year plan, as Beijing confronts volatility from the Middle East conflict.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
During a week-long recuperation, the family confronts the excruciating moral dilemmas triggered by the crash.—
Ashlee Conour,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In Alameda, hundreds of youths gathered at the South Shore Center parking lot, where police reported fights and two people were hospitalized.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
More than three-quarters of street space — most of our public space — is given over to driving and parking cars, local fights over new bike lanes notwithstanding.—
Jon Orcutt,
New York Daily News,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Evans ranks 10th all time in TD catches and his 11 seasons with at least 1,000 yards receiving are second most ever to Jerry Rice’s 14.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Austin Hooper catches a touchdown in the 2017 Super Bowl.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There’s also a zippered top section for tools, like brushes, tweezers, and nail files.—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Invasive brushes kick out native grasses that make valuable forage for cattle.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encounters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encounters. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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