1
as in confronting
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 finding
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
3
as in facing
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of encountering
Before encountering the issue, NASA officials had appeared optimistic that a successful fueling test had set the stage for a March launch.
—
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
These spike trains often appear when fungi interact with their environment, such as encountering wood or other substrates.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2026
But as the cards get more popular, road warriors are increasingly encountering crowds, long queues, and wait times.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
The species can be found throughout the West, including Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico, but your chances of encountering them in the wild aren’t super high.
—Matt Leclercq, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2026
As the film continues to screen internationally, Ozirna is acutely aware of the gap between those living through the war and audiences encountering it from afar.
—Essie Assibu, Variety, 29 Mar. 2026
However, the system faced limitations when encountering very thin or slender objects.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Mar. 2026
Their appraisal underscored the challenges the Survivors’ Act was encountering in the courtroom.
—Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
In Thomas Bernhard’s The Loser, Wertheimer, tormented by encountering a genius in the form of fellow piano student Glenn Gould, gives up his dreams of performing and moves in with his sister.
—Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
These spike trains often appear when fungi interact with their environment, such as encountering wood or other substrates.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2026
But as the cards get more popular, road warriors are increasingly encountering crowds, long queues, and wait times.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
The species can be found throughout the West, including Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico, but your chances of encountering them in the wild aren’t super high.
—Matt Leclercq, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2026
As the film continues to screen internationally, Ozirna is acutely aware of the gap between those living through the war and audiences encountering it from afar.
—Essie Assibu, Variety, 29 Mar. 2026
However, the system faced limitations when encountering very thin or slender objects.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Mar. 2026
Their appraisal underscored the challenges the Survivors’ Act was encountering in the courtroom.
—Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
In Thomas Bernhard’s The Loser, Wertheimer, tormented by encountering a genius in the form of fellow piano student Glenn Gould, gives up his dreams of performing and moves in with his sister.
—Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encountering
Verb
-
In the video, obtained by local outlet WMBB, Littrell, 51, is seen confronting the beachgoer, identified by the outlet as Kyle Gallagher.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
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James Baldwin's insight emphasizes the necessity of confronting issues like prejudice and bullying, which require ongoing leadership action; in a video lesson, Kim Scott offers practical strategies to foster respectful team culture and effectively address harmful behaviors.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In an increasingly digital world, church leaders say many are seeking deeper connection--and finding it during Holy Week.—
Loureen Ayyoub,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Gluting committed after finding that fit at Oklahoma.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Eastern Regional Mon Valley Police Department Police said that a 28-year-old man from Rankin will be facing multiple charges in connection with the drug bust.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
One of the biggest issues facing Wall Street and the nation recently is how long the rampant enthusiasm over artificial intelligence will last.—
Kaitlin McCallum,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Monahan reveals the song was a story about meeting his wife, Amber.—
Ralphie Aversa,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
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The item has not been approved or denied and will be on the agenda for the Board of Estimates meeting on April 15.—
Chevall Pryce,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For those who have the option, more are contemplating walking, cycling, carpooling or catching the bus or train to get some relief.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
That inspired some smirks from Boone and Tanner Swanson, the team’s director of catching.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The only thing better would be forcing a change of the signs greeting visitors to Greenfield by winning a national championship.—
Michael Marot,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Back in Mumbai, the bride Vanamala’s mother moves through the modest wedding venue, greeting relatives who have come to celebrate the couple.—
Ayushi Shah,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encountering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encountering. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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