Pronunciation

/ɪnˈkɑːntər/

Definitions

• Noun: An unexpected meeting or confrontation; a face-to-face meeting with someone or something. For example: “They had a chance encounter at the airport.”

  • Also used to describe an experience or event, often difficult or challenging: “Their encounter with the harsh weather tested their survival skills.”

• Verb: To meet or come across (someone or something) unexpectedly or by chance; to experience or have dealings with (a situation or thing). For example: “The explorers encountered many obstacles on their journey.”

Phrases

• “Encounter with”: To meet or experience something or someone, often unexpectedly. Example: “An encounter with a grizzly bear in the woods.”
• “Run into (an encounter)”: To meet someone unexpectedly. Example: “I ran into my old teacher at the grocery store.”
• “Have a close encounter”: To narrowly avoid an accident or danger, or to experience something extraordinary (usually in reference to UFOs). Example: “He claimed to have had a close encounter with a UFO.”

Example Sentences

• Noun: “Their encounter with the famous author was a highlight of the conference.”
• Verb: “She encountered numerous problems while setting up her new business.”

Synonyms

• Meeting
• Confrontation
• Encounterment
• Brush with
• Run-in
• Meeting with
• Experience
• Face-off (in a confrontational sense)
• Interaction (in a broader context)