encounter

verb
UK: /ɪnˈkaʊntər/
US: /ɪnˈkaʊntər/

  1. To meet someone unexpectedly.

    1. I encountered my friend at the store today.
    2. She encountered several obstacles while trying to start her own business.

  2. To experience something, often unpleasant.

    1. We encountered heavy rain on our trip.
    2. The company encountered significant financial difficulties last year.

  3. To meet and talk to someone.

    1. The president encountered local leaders during his visit.
    2. The soldiers encountered resistance as they moved further into enemy territory.

Synonyms

meet confront meeting experience
encounter noun

  1. An unexpected meeting.

    1. It was a chance encounter at the airport.
    2. Our first encounter was a bit awkward but ultimately positive.

  2. A meeting, especially one that is unplanned or unexpected.

    1. This encounter helped me understand his perspective better.
    2. The explorers described their encounter with the local tribe in detail.

  3. A brief or casual meeting with a person or thing.

    1. I had an encounter with a famous author yesterday.
    2. The wildlife photographer documented an encounter between lions and zebras.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "encounter" in English means: To meet someone unexpectedly., To experience something, often unpleasant., To meet and talk to someone..

The phonetic transcription of "encounter" is /ɪnˈkaʊntər/ in British English and /ɪnˈkaʊntər/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "encounter": meet, confront, meeting, experience.

Example usage of "encounter": "I encountered my friend at the store today.". More examples on the page.