1
as in to meet
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to find
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of encounter
Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 29 Mar. 2026
It is found growing at elevations from sea level to 5,000 feet but is infrequently encountered in the nursery trade.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
ABC News, 4 Apr. 2026
Authorities allege the encounter escalated when the agent approached the suspects’ car with $600 in government funds to buy one of the guns.
—Eva Remijan-Toba, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encounter
Verb
Tempe officials note recent bee encounters Earlier in March, the city of Tempe took to social media to warn residents about bee activity.
—Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 29 Mar. 2026
It is found growing at elevations from sea level to 5,000 feet but is infrequently encountered in the nursery trade.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
Noun
Rennes won a spectacular encounter at Brest 4-3.
—ABC News, 4 Apr. 2026
Authorities allege the encounter escalated when the agent approached the suspects’ car with $600 in government funds to buy one of the guns.
—Eva Remijan-Toba, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encounter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encounter
Verb
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Within eight minutes, the New Kensington fire department arrived and was met with heavy flames at the back of the house.—
Jessica Riley,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The teams meet for the third time this season.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Most of the trouble on this night came from starter Ryan Johnson’s inability to find the strike zone and the defense’s problems converting two plays that should have been made.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The Will County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Monday that more remains have been found in the same location where the bones of a missing man were discovered last week.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Zeeshan later appeared in bond court facing a charge of assault with religious prejudice.—
Nikiya Carrero,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
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The Phillies clobbered Colorado 10-1 on a windy Friday afternoon in LoDo that featured the return of wintry weather and a reminder of the challenge facing an organization that lost 119 games last season.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And the Pakistani military has been engaged in cross-border skirmishes with the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan for months.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
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With billions of dollars at stake, the conflicts manifest in sharp skirmishes in the Legislature, in courts and in the ballot measure arena.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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One took her own life when confronted with her deeds and the other one is gone for decades.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Meis doesn’t confront works of art directly; at least that isn’t his forte.—
Jed Perl,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Lori listens in dumbfounded silence, keeping her eyes on the prize, and trying not to roll them when Julian makes a comment about the dearth of great women artists—the kind of remark that earned him a close brush with cancellation in the past.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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That’s already happening on Comet MAPS, even days away from its brush with the sun.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Calls come in about elders caught in financial scams or elders who are sick.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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Secure loose outdoor items and adjust plans as necessary so you're not caught outside.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The confrontation, which led to multiple 911 calls reporting a fight involving a firearm, resulted in the arrest of Ahmad Zeeshan.—
Nikiya Carrero,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
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The United States Powered Paragliding Association and Experimental Aircraft Association have written letters supporting the ultralight pilots in their fight against the county airport, as cited in the documents under review for the FAA’s upcoming decision.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encounter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encounter. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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