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
Robert Lang, Deadline, 10 Jan. 2026
The vaccine campaign has been so effective that today, many pediatric medical residents have never encountered an infant hospitalized because of the infection, which can cause days of diarrhea, vomiting, cramps and fever.
—Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
Alan Bradley, Space.com, 8 Nov. 2025
Rumors have swirled that Jaramillo was at the center of an ambush or that his murder was part of planned retribution, but Cordero-Stutz reaffirmed that his death was a random encounter that could have happened to any deputy that day.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encounter
Verb
The journey to the screen was a rigorous eight-year process for Stewart, who first encountered the book in 2017 and immediately felt its electric current.
—Noun
Grab your pulse rifle, and maybe a shotgun for close encounters, because these are the scariest aliens ever conceived.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for encounter
Verb
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So commences a night of harrowing encounters and trauma both physical and mental, starting with Ron and Mike’s trip to meet Oliver at a bar after one of his shows.—
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When the Huskies lined up for a 50-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, Ben Barten’s outstretched hand met the ball, sending it skittering across the slick turf.—
Verb
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Investigators also found eight 9 mm casings fired from a Glock pistol at the scene where Holmes was killed, according to the affidavit.—
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In doing so, the judge found he could not be involved in the handling of the separate probes related to the civil fraud investigation and the NRA.—
Verb
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Still, the company faces the same existential headwinds that have scared other would-be moguls away from the news business.—
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Chicago is facing a dangerous lake-effect snow event early Monday morning.—
Noun
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Things then turned violent when someone tried to lunge at Black as marshals walked him out of the courtroom, leading to a skirmish appearing to involve about a dozen people.—
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Other conflict hotspots include India/Pakistan following a deadly skirmish in 2025, Congo/Rwanda, and the ongoing civil war in Sudan.—
Verb
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Reuters/Social media In Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city, some 450 miles northeast of Tehran, video purported to show protesters confronting security forces.—
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But after reuniting at Alex's brother David's (Miles Heizer) Barcelona wedding, the pair are forced to confront their feelings.—
Noun
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Then, apply the solution to your grout with your brush or scraper.—
-
Clear brush and dense weeds from around your property.—
Verb
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Through the air, their pass-catching group is one of the worst in the playoffs.—
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Eleven days after the courthouse escape, Hollywood police caught Braddy breaking into a store, the Herald archives say.—
Noun
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Davisboro, Georgia Police Chief Leondus Dixon told CBS News a fight broke out among inmates during visitation hours at Washington State Prison in Davisboro.—
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Sheffey is jumping in the fight.—
Cite this Entry
“Encounter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encounter. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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