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
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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
Catherine Pearson, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
If the robot does encounter a problem, the app will tell you how to fix it.
—Larry Magid, The Mercury News, 13 Feb. 2025
Abigail Adams, People.com, 13 Feb. 2025
Before their league encounter in 2011, the police decided to put in place precautions to minimise the risk of violence.
—Roshane Thomas, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encounter
Verb
More than 1,000 people wrote in about the electric chance encounters and deep love that slipped through their fingers.
—Catherine Pearson, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
If the robot does encounter a problem, the app will tell you how to fix it.
—Larry Magid, The Mercury News, 13 Feb. 2025
Noun
But the close encounter has not stopped Wells from returning to the water.
—Abigail Adams, People.com, 13 Feb. 2025
Before their league encounter in 2011, the police decided to put in place precautions to minimise the risk of violence.
—Roshane Thomas, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encounter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encounter
Verb
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The school’s small class sizes allow for highly individualized attention, ensuring that each child’s unique learning style and academic needs are met.—
Hilary Tetenbaum,
USA TODAY,
21 Feb. 2025
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Other propositions were met with unanimous approval, such as Fendi’s 1997 Baguette bag.—
Kin Woo,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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McNeeley gave UConn its first lead since the score was 2-0 with a pair of free throws, and Ball found Reed again for a two-handed slam that put the Huskies up four with 1:11 to go.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
19 Feb. 2025
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ZiPS, a popular player projection model found on FanGraphs, predicts Goldschmidt will hit .250/.325/.437 with 23 homers, 81 RBI, a 116 wRC+ and 2.2 WAR in 2025.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
19 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Hochul — a centrist Democrat, as is Adams — has faced questions about the mayor’s future since his indictment in September on bribery and other charges.—
Anthony Izaguirre,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2025
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Several Republican lawmakers have faced backlash from constituents in recent days over President Trump's sweeping cuts to the federal government, which have been spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency, a task force led by Elon Musk.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Musk’s latest statement marks yet another escalation in the ongoing skirmish.—
Dimitar 'Mix' Mihov,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025
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As per an incident report obtained by the Miami Herald, multiple guests eventually joined in the skirmish at Manor Complex entertainment complex in Wilton Manors in the early hours of Jan. 26.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Then, in November, with the election of Donald Trump and the Republicans’ return to power in Congress, the question of how best to respond to opioid-use disorder was confronted with new uncertainty.—
Moises Velasquez-Manoff Robert Petkoff Emma Kehlbeck Zak Mouton,
New York Times,
16 Feb. 2025
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On the internet, you are confronted with different perspectives on reality.—
Georg Szalai,
The Hollywood Reporter,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
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In the car, Stone jammed his backpack between his knees, and the two siblings inched down Palisades Drive, the brush along the shoulder a roaring blaze.—
Corina Knoll,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2025
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Toth recommends shakers for areas with thinning and powders with brushes for hairline recession.—
Deanna Pai,
Allure,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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That changed when polls showed a tightening race and Osborn raised more than $30 million, catching the attention not only of the working class but of organizations such as the Patriotic Millionaires, a group of wealthy Americans seeking an equitable economy.—
Jeffrey Fleishman,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2025
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The train derailment occurred in rural Somerset County where three engines and six train cars from Canadian Pacific Kansas City railway were knocked off the tracks and caught fire, according to the Bangor Daily News.—
James Powel,
USA TODAY,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Transport boxes, electronic scales and gaffs, sharp blades that can be attached to roosters' legs during fights, were found on the property, the news statement said.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
15 Feb. 2025
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But that message was undermined by his company’s fight against TVC.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Encounter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encounter. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
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