confrontation

noun

con·​fron·​ta·​tion ˌkän-(ˌ)frən-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce confrontation (audio)
: 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.
Fay Vincent, who became an unexpected baseball commissioner in 1989 following the death of A. Bartlett Giamatti and then was forced out three years later by owners intent on a labor confrontation with players, has died. CBS News, 2 Feb. 2025 Police fatally shot a homicide suspect during a confrontation on the Newport Beach Pier early Saturday after a high-speed chase that began in Santa Ana, authorities said. Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2025 Early in his career, a confrontation with a veteran scout forced Dawkins to define his leadership style. Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 1 Feb. 2025 Years later, he was convicted of armed robbery in Las Vegas after leading five men, including two with guns, in a confrontation with sports collectibles dealers at a casino hotel. Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 29 Jan. 2025 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

Dictionary Entries Near confrontation

Cite this Entry

“Confrontation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confrontation. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on confrontation

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