confrontation

noun

con·​fron·​ta·​tion ˌkän-(ˌ)frən-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce confrontation (audio)
: the act of confronting : the state of being confronted: such as
a
: a face-to-face meeting
a confrontation between the suspect and the victim
b
: the clashing of forces or ideas : conflict
a violent confrontation between rival gangs
c
: comparison
The flashbacks bring into meaningful confrontation present and past, near and far.R. J. Clements
confrontational adjective
confrontationist noun or adjective

Examples of confrontation in a Sentence

There were several violent confrontations between rival gangs. He would prefer not to have a confrontation with the authorities. a series of confrontations between residents and police We want cooperation, not confrontation. We seek to avoid military confrontation at all costs.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An Israeli soldier was injured in the confrontation, the military said. Matthew Mpoke Bigg, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025 The two still-unidentified men reportedly talked about being armed and tried to provoke a confrontation. Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2025 Prosecutors say Scott, a Bradenton man, was among the first rioters to initiate physical confrontations with police on the Capitol steps, helping to lead the mob that breached the building. Michael Moore Jr., Miami Herald, 22 Jan. 2025 Authorities are searching for a man accused of stabbing an off-duty Atlanta police officer during a confrontation after a hit-and-run over the weekend. Landon Mion, Fox News, 20 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for confrontation 

Word History

Etymology

see confront

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of confrontation was in 1632

Dictionary Entries Near confrontation

Cite this Entry

“Confrontation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confrontation. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on confrontation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!