en·coun·ter
in-ˈkau̇n-tər 
en-
encountered; encountering
in-ˈkau̇n-t(ə-)riŋ
en-
1
a
: to meet as an adversary or enemy
b
: to engage in conflict with
2
: to come upon face-to-face
3
: to come upon or experience especially unexpectedly
encounter difficulties
: to meet especially by chance
1
: a meeting between hostile factions or persons : a sudden often violent clash
an encounter between the police and demonstrators
2
a
: a chance meeting
an accidental encounter
b
: a particular kind of meeting or experience with another person
a romantic encounter
3
: a coming into the vicinity of a celestial body
the Martian encounter of a spacecraft
Synonyms
Examples of encounter in a Sentence
Verb
We encountered problems early in the project.
The pilot told us that we might encounter turbulence during the flight.
Her suggestion has encountered a lot of opposition.
Noun
a chance encounter with a famous writer
The tour boat had a close encounter with a breeching humpback whale.
There was a violent encounter between fans of the opposing teams.
It was her first encounter with cigarettes.
Recent Examples on the Web
Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
The Real Challenges of Transformation While the potential is clear, digital transformation often encounters significant barriers.
—Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025
Kaila Yu, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
On a segment of the morning show which aired on Wednesday, January 8, Shelton shared a memorable and surprising encounter with the TV host ahead of her retirement on Friday, January 10.
—Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for encounter 
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Verb
For Rice, a native of Washington, D.C., where wildfires are nearly nonexistent, encountering such devastation is new.
—Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
The Real Challenges of Transformation While the potential is clear, digital transformation often encounters significant barriers.
—Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025
Noun
From adrenaline-pumping ATV treks and exhilarating zip-lining adventures to up-close encounters at the baboon sanctuary, their tours showcase the best of Belize.
—Kaila Yu, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
On a segment of the morning show which aired on Wednesday, January 8, Shelton shared a memorable and surprising encounter with the TV host ahead of her retirement on Friday, January 10.
—Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for encounter
Dictionary Entries Near encounter
Cite this Entry
“Encounter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encounter. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
encounter
1 of 2 verb
en·coun·ter
in-ˈkau̇nt-ər
encountered; encountering
-ˈkau̇nt-ə-riŋ
-ˈkau̇n-triŋ
1
: to engage in a struggle with as an enemy or rival
2
: to come upon face-to-face : meet
3
: to come upon unexpectedly
encountered problems
encounter
2 of 2 noun1
: a clash between enemies or rivals
also
: a very unfriendly meeting
had an encounter with the boss
2
a
: a chance meeting
b
: a meeting face-to-face
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