confrontation
noun
con·fron·ta·tion
ˌkän-(ˌ)frən-ˈtā-shən 
: 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
R. J. ClementsSynonyms
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
But after Israel responded in a relatively muted way, both countries moved on from the confrontation.
—Carrie A. Lee, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2024
Police have not said what the confrontation was about, but according to the documents, Hue allegedly pulled a pistol from his waistband, pointed it at the students and told them to run.
—Harry Harris, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
The confrontation between the Israelis and pro-Palestinians appeared to be more about Gaza than soccer.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024
A number of European countries, including Belgium and Slovenia, are concerned that Ukraine joining the military alliance will pull it into direct confrontation with Russia.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for confrontation 
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.
Carrie A. Lee, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2024
Police have not said what the confrontation was about, but according to the documents, Hue allegedly pulled a pistol from his waistband, pointed it at the students and told them to run.
—Harry Harris, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
The confrontation between the Israelis and pro-Palestinians appeared to be more about Gaza than soccer.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024
A number of European countries, including Belgium and Slovenia, are concerned that Ukraine joining the military alliance will pull it into direct confrontation with Russia.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for confrontation
Dictionary Entries Near confrontation
Cite this Entry
“Confrontation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confrontation. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share