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
Officers were alerted to the situation after allegedly encountering their 6-year-old son running across the street unsupervised on 15th Street in Miami Beach, according to arrest reports obtained by PEOPLE.
—
Ben Brachfeld, People.com, 3 Jan. 2025
Police urge residents to exercise extreme caution when encountering such phone calls.
—River Valley Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 3 Jan. 2025
Therefore, consumers can enjoy the wines, the food and elevate their experiences without encountering the effects of the alcohol.
—Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
For the holiday season, Skeleton Crew, featuring four kids trying to get back to their home planet and encountering the typical inhabitants of the Star Wars universe, appears to have been more successful for being less ambitious.
—Rob Salkowitz, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
People should wash their hands after touching their cat and after encountering wild birds, livestock or other animals, the AVMA said.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 27 Dec. 2024
Most reported encountering wrong or out-of-service numbers.
—Steve Cohen, New York Daily News, 17 Dec. 2024
Divorce in New York has always been complex, but post-pandemic, couples are encountering new legal, emotional and practical obstacles.
—Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 17 Dec. 2024
Another concern is that the AI might go awry, such as encountering an AI hallucination (see my discussion at the link here), and present a date that is scarily near in time.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Ben Brachfeld, People.com, 3 Jan. 2025
Police urge residents to exercise extreme caution when encountering such phone calls.
—River Valley Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 3 Jan. 2025
Therefore, consumers can enjoy the wines, the food and elevate their experiences without encountering the effects of the alcohol.
—Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
For the holiday season, Skeleton Crew, featuring four kids trying to get back to their home planet and encountering the typical inhabitants of the Star Wars universe, appears to have been more successful for being less ambitious.
—Rob Salkowitz, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
People should wash their hands after touching their cat and after encountering wild birds, livestock or other animals, the AVMA said.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 27 Dec. 2024
Most reported encountering wrong or out-of-service numbers.
—Steve Cohen, New York Daily News, 17 Dec. 2024
Divorce in New York has always been complex, but post-pandemic, couples are encountering new legal, emotional and practical obstacles.
—Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 17 Dec. 2024
Another concern is that the AI might go awry, such as encountering an AI hallucination (see my discussion at the link here), and present a date that is scarily near in time.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encountering
Verb
-
The world’s multilateral architecture is the best mechanism humanity has for confronting existential transnational threats.—
Allison Carnegie,
Foreign Affairs,
24 Dec. 2024
-
Any return to play in England would entail Henderson confronting the subject again.—
Michael Walker,
The Athletic,
23 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Pep Guardiola’s side have lost eight of their last 13 games in all competitions since the beginning of November, and the Catalan is facing the first major crisis in his managerial career.—
Emmet Gates,
Forbes,
31 Dec. 2024
-
So what is the biggest threat facing the world in 2025?—
George Monastiriakos,
Newsweek,
31 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Schar and Duran had stretched for a loose ball and the Newcastle centre-half had slid in to win it, with Duran first catching him on the buttock and then in the small of the back.—
George Caulkin,
The Athletic,
27 Dec. 2024
-
Clear skies and areas with little to no light pollution are most ideal for catching a glimpse of the aurora.—
Antonio Pequeño IV,
Forbes,
26 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Walking hand in hand, Carrie and Aidan looked very much in love, and the former’s friends were seen greeting them with excitement.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
3 Jan. 2025
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The monumental ones greeting you at Luis Barragán’s Casa Gilardi, the playful ones supporting Peter Shire’s furniture and topping off his teapots.—
Sophie Collé,
Architectural Digest,
27 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near encountering
Cite this Entry
“Encountering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encountering. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025.
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