confrontation

noun

con·​fron·​ta·​tion ˌkän-(ˌ)frən-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce confrontation (audio)
Synonyms of confrontationnext
: the act of confronting : the state of being confronted: such as
a
: a face-to-face meeting
a confrontation between the suspect and the victim
b
: the clashing of forces or ideas : conflict
a violent confrontation between rival gangs
c
: comparison
The flashbacks bring into meaningful confrontation present and past, near and far.R. J. Clements
confrontational adjective
confrontationist noun or adjective

Examples of confrontation in a Sentence

There were several violent confrontations between rival gangs. He would prefer not to have a confrontation with the authorities. a series of confrontations between residents and police We want cooperation, not confrontation. We seek to avoid military confrontation at all costs.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The recent Mother’s Day confrontation at Arthur’s Prime Steakhouse in Little Rock arrived accompanied by cellphone footage, influencer commentary, competing eyewitness narratives, reaction videos and enough online forensic analysis to qualify as a minor branch of cable-news jurisprudence. Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 23 May 2026 LaBeouf was first arrested after the alleged confrontation and was initially charged with two counts of simple battery. Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026 Born in 1958 in Shiraz, Vahidi’s ideology was shaped by war and confrontation with the West. Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 23 May 2026 Video briefly shows Lindstrom and Abby Beard in an apparent physical confrontation. Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 23 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for confrontation

Word History

Etymology

see confront

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of confrontation was in 1632

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Confrontation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confrontation. Accessed 24 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on confrontation

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster