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
Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Drivers who encounter potholes can call the TDOT hotline at 833-836-8349.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Sep. 2025
Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
Even small chance encounters with former classmates feel like something of a homecoming.
—Katherine Polcari, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encounter
Verb
In an effort to help the group retrieve it, Guy encounters William Fitchner’s Jasper, a mysterious American who has quietly assumed control and influence over the Talamasca’s London Motherhouse.
—Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Drivers who encounter potholes can call the TDOT hotline at 833-836-8349.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
Alcaraz is averaging fewer than 10 games dropped per match, and his 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-2 victory was his second-closest encounter so far.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
Even small chance encounters with former classmates feel like something of a homecoming.
—Katherine Polcari, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encounter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encounter
Verb
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Plenty of agency officials were already put off by the DOGErs, who often issued peremptory orders to meet with them and answer questions.—
Eli Hager,
ProPublica,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Jayden Daniels #5 of the Washington Commanders and Russell Wilson #3 of the New York Giants meet after the Washington Commanders beat the New York Giants 21-6 during the game at Northwest Stadium on September 07, 2025 in Landover, Maryland.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The typical price of a single-family home in the United States is about $368,000, jumping roughly 13% over the past 5 years and 38% over the last decade, the ABC News data team found.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
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And Sheen does find the words to tell more harrowing stories of addiction and excess that defined his Hollywood spiral.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The swells will continue to build and increase along east-facing shorelines through the middle of the week, the hurricane center warned.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
-
As the season sets in, many face low mood and energy as shorter days and cooler temperatures lead to more social isolation.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Still one of the NFL’s nastiest division rivalries, the game was full of skirmishes and a near-costly unnecessary roughness penalty late in the third against the Eagles that put the Cowboys in position to take the lead.—
Dan Gelston,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
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Ideological skirmishes over the motives and obligations of Carpenter’s music include both sincere interrogation of its feminism and smirking counteractive reprisals to that scrutiny.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Getting confronted with gruesome, horrific imagery has, unfortunately, become an assumed risk when logging onto social media.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Jurors at the trial in Fort Pierce, Florida, heard from the Secret Service agent who confronted an armed Routh on the golf course before Routh fled, and a witness who identified Routh to police.—
Peter Charalambous,
ABC News,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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To prevent a repeat of Otis’ near-death brush with booze, the distillery has asked the city for a dumpster with a lid.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
And what would serve as the graphite, ink, wax, or brush that filled the spaces in between?—
Beth Kephart
September 10,
Literary Hub,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Now, the Bears are close to catching back up, as the score is 27-24 at the time of this writing.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
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In February, more than 40 people were killed in southern Mexico when a bus traveling to Tabasco from the tourist city of Cancun hit a trailer truck and caught fire.—
Lizbeth Diaz,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Sinner eventually came through in a display of fight and quality in adversity, and now has a day’s rest to manage the problem.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Classes were offered on serving in-fight refreshments and putting on make-up.—
Vinod Sreeharsha,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Encounter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encounter. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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