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 character of Hichem is an upright and honest man, who encounters financial hurdles. — Annika Pham, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026

Through four series, Spartacus encounters brutal battles, heart-rending betrayals, and more. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2026

Whether that recovery proceeds as EIA expects or encounters the technical obstacles Berman warns about could determine how long the economic consequences of the conflict linger after the shooting stops. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026

This is also where Bilbo first encounters a mysterious and magical ring. — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026

The Cleveland Clinic recommends anyone who encounters mold to clean it using products like bleach, using an air conditioner or dehumidifier and turning on exhaust fans among other measures. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 22 Aug. 2026

While retracing his route, revisiting photos, and dredging her memories for clues to his distress, Lotte encounters dangers and pushes her limits. — Monitor Reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Aug. 2026

The Family Should Own Its Own Intelligence A device designed for the center of family life inevitably encounters sensitive information. — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026

Catton’s ecological collective occupies unused land to grow food, but then encounters a fabulously wealthy man with his own plans for the landscape. — Solitaire Townsend, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Noun

Bear sightings and encounters are on the rise in Colorado and elsewhere in the United States as the animals travel out of the wild and into populated areas. — Mike Snider, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026

The world reacts to your actions through dynamic NPC encounters, wildlife, exploration, and an honor system that can shape how the story unfolds. — Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026

While the new proposal slightly lessens the total match inventory, a far greater percentage of those games – 19 of 23 each season – will be true single-elimination encounters. — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Dershowitz has said the rift continued after that encounter, telling The Atlantic that David no longer speaks to him and has ignored him during subsequent encounters. — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026

Some 1,100 Palestinians have been killed in encounters with settlers or with Israeli security forces since 2023. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Aug. 2026

Additionally, interviews and encounters with the slain officers’ family members also illustrate the cost and harm of a job that was formed in the early 19th century and remains antiquated and unchanged in our 21st-century world. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 20 Aug. 2026

With subsequent analysis of the weather phenomena and pilot training to mitigate these encounters, airlines have been able to nearly eliminate these fatal accidents worldwide. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026

The boy lives in Orange County, and the affidavit describes specific encounters between Caruso and the child on a fishing trip, on a cruise out of Miami and during a holiday gathering. — Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026