en·coun·ter
in-ˈkau̇n-tər 
en-
encountered; encountering
in-ˈkau̇n-t(ə-)riŋ
en-
1
a
: to meet as an adversary or enemy
b
: to engage in conflict with
2
: to come upon face-to-face
3
: to come upon or experience especially unexpectedly
encounter difficulties
: to meet especially by chance
1
: a meeting between hostile factions or persons : a sudden often violent clash
an encounter between the police and demonstrators
2
a
: a chance meeting
an accidental encounter
b
: a particular kind of meeting or experience with another person
a romantic encounter
3
: a coming into the vicinity of a celestial body
the Martian encounter of a spacecraft
Examples of encounter in a Sentence
Verb
We encountered problems early in the project.
The pilot told us that we might encounter turbulence during the flight.
Her suggestion has encountered a lot of opposition.
Noun
a chance encounter with a famous writer
The tour boat had a close encounter with a breeching humpback whale.
There was a violent encounter between fans of the opposing teams.
It was her first encounter with cigarettes.
Recent Examples on the Web
Meghan Palmer, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Mar. 2026
Are your goals encountering a wild card?
—Usa Today, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Jasmine Viel, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
All four astronauts have been studying the moon extensively in their mission preparation, of course, but the precise launch date and time determined the specific features each would target during their all-too-fleeting close encounter, making this review time a necessity.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encounter
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Verb
Nearly half the species in this stretch of forest are nocturnal, offering a rare chance to encounter species like red-eyed tree frogs and bats in their natural environments.
—Meghan Palmer, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Mar. 2026
Are your goals encountering a wild card?
—Usa Today, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
Bossche says the encounter with the rattler hasn't scared her off the trails for good.
—Jasmine Viel, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
All four astronauts have been studying the moon extensively in their mission preparation, of course, but the precise launch date and time determined the specific features each would target during their all-too-fleeting close encounter, making this review time a necessity.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encounter
Cite this Entry
“Encounter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encounter. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
encounter
1 of 2 verb
en·coun·ter
in-ˈkau̇nt-ər
encountered; encountering
-ˈkau̇nt-ə-riŋ
-ˈkau̇n-triŋ
1
: to engage in a struggle with as an enemy or rival
2
: to come upon face-to-face : meet
3
: to come upon unexpectedly
encountered problems
encounter
2 of 2 noun1
: a clash between enemies or rivals
also
: a very unfriendly meeting
had an encounter with the boss
2
a
: a chance meeting
b
: a meeting face-to-face
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