Synonyms

confront

American

[kuhn-fruhnt] / kənˈfrʌnt /

verb (used with object)

to face in hostility or defiance; oppose.

The feuding factions confronted one another.
to present for acknowledgment, contradiction, etc.; set face to face.

They confronted him with evidence of his crime.
to face and deal with boldly or directly.

The city refuses to confront the real reason for the housing shortage.
to stand or come in front of; stand or meet facing.

The two long-separated brothers confronted each other speechlessly.
to be in one's way.

the numerous obstacles that still confronted him.
to bring together for examination or comparison.

confront British

/ kənˈfrʌnt /

verb

(usually foll by with) to present or face (with something), esp in order to accuse or criticize
to face boldly; oppose in hostility
to be face to face with; be in front of
to bring together for comparison

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of confront

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Medieval Latin confrontārī, equivalent to Latin con-, variant of intensive prefix com- + -frontārī, derivative of Latin frōns (stem front- ) “forehead”; see origin at con-, front

Explanation

Confront means either to face a situation that makes you uncomfortable, or to say something to someone about something they've done that bothers you. Rather than letting things go, when people are rude to you you should confront them. Confront derives from the Latin con- "with" and -front "front." You can confront a sad truth, you can confront a person by calling them on their behavior, you can confront someone with the fact that they have terrible breath. You can be confronted, too—on the trip through the mountains, we were confronted by the impassibility of the road.

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Vocabulary lists containing confront

The Bill of Rights

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"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

We’re bringing you profiles of the political figures reshaping their parties and defining the choices Americans confront in the 2026 midterm elections.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

The next blockbuster IPOs may force investors to confront an uncomfortable truth: Index investing is not nearly as passive as many assume.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

"We are on a war footing and all our armed forces are fully ready, with all their resources and equipment, to confront any enemy," he said.

From Barron's • May 24, 2026

The witness says Charmain told her on 16 March she was going to check into a hotel with the prophet, who was by now also in the country, and confront him about everything.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

Ellis and Ann Atwater during the early 1970s, when they co-chaired a committee to confront problems associated with court-ordered desegregation in Durham.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023