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encounter

en·coun·ter

encounter

 
 
pronunciation:
ihn kaUn tr
parts of speech:
transitive verb, intransitive verb, noun
features:
Word Combinations (verb, noun), Word Parts
part of speech: transitive verb
inflections: encounters, encountering, encountered
definition 1: to meet or come upon, esp. suddenly or by chance.
We never expected to encounter other people up there in the wilderness.I got to the office late this morning, and of course I encountered my boss in the elevator!It's always nice to encounter someone at a party with whom you can have a real conversation.
 
synonyms:
bump into, come across, run across
similar words:
find, hit, meet
definition 2: to meet or confront in battle or conflict.
The football teams will encounter each other for the second time this weekend.By the time the two armies encountered each other that fall, the invading troops were running out of food.
synonyms:
battle, engage, meet
similar words:
accost, affront, confront, contest, fight
definition 3: to meet with, or come up against, esp. unexpectedly.
The builders encountered some unforeseen difficulties as they got started on the project.We encountered some pretty bad weather on our hiking trip.
synonyms:
hit
antonyms:
circumvent, dodge
similar words:
brave, come across, confront, experience, face, face up to, meet, undergo
 
part of speech: intransitive verb
definition: to meet, esp. in conflict or unexpectedly.
synonyms:
meet
antonyms:
dodge
similar words:
clash, engage
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
 
part of speech: noun
definition 1: a brief or unexpected meeting.
They were shaken by their encounter with the snake.I had a lucky encounter with my doctor the other day at the post office, and she gave me some good advice.
synonyms:
brush, meeting
similar words:
appointment, engagement, rendezvous
definition 2: a hostile or violent confrontation; conflict; battle.
The bloody encounter between the two armies at the bridge lasted five days.
synonyms:
battle, clash, combat, conflict, confrontation, engagement
similar words:
collision, fight, fray, run-in, scrap, set-to, skirmish
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Word PartsSubscriber feature About this feature