confrontation

Rarely con·front·al

[kon-fruhn-tey-shuhn, -fruhn-]

noun

1. an act of confronting.

2. the state of being confronted.

3. a meeting of persons face to face.

4. an open conflict of opposing ideas, forces, etc.

5. a bringing together of ideas, themes, etc., for comparison.

6. Psychology.,  a technique used in group therapy, as in encounter groups, in which one is forced to recognize one's shortcomings and their possible consequences.

confrontation

/ kɒnˈfrʌntmənt, ˌkɒnfrʌnˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of confronting

2. a situation of mutual hostility between two powers or nations without open warfare

3. a state of conflict between two antagonistic forces, creeds, or ideas etc

Other Word Forms

• nonconfrontation noun
• reconfrontation noun
• confrontational adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of confrontation¹

First recorded in 1625–35; confront + -ation; compare Medieval Latin confrontātiō, French, Middle French confrontation

Example Sentences

Long said the fact the game stops every time a foul is called can also factor into the number of confrontations with the official.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A similar incident took place in 2020 when another gorilla damaged a layer of glass at the zoo while engaging in a physical confrontation with a fellow ape.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Both organizations have radicalized and incited their populations and have promoted confrontation and violence, not peace and coexistence.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He then stabbed the victim, who had only moved to Huddersfield a fortnight previously to live with his uncle, around 40 seconds after the confrontation started, in full view of passers-by, including children.

Read more on BBC

Spivey got out of his truck holding a pistol and, in the confrontation that followed, was killed by a gunshot to the back.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• battle 
• contest 
• crisis 
• dispute 
• encounter 
• fight 
• meeting 
• showdown 
• strife