confrontation

American  

[kon-fruhn-tey-shuhn, -fruhn-] / ˌkɒn frənˈteɪ ʃən, -frʌn- /

Rarely confrontal

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.

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confrontation British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• confrontational
  adjective
• nonconfrontation
  noun
• reconfrontation
  noun

Etymology

Origin of confrontation

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

Explanation

A confrontation is an angry disagreement. You might become so irritated about your upstairs neighbor's loud, awful music that a confrontation is unavoidable. Confrontation implies hostility, although like a fight, a confrontation can involve actual violence, or just a clash of words. A confrontation often refers to a military encounter involving opposing armies. This meaning became popular after the Cuban missile crisis in 1963. Before that, confrontation was used to mean "bringing two opposing parties face to face," from the Latin word confrontationem.

Example Sentences

Since becoming the first US-born pope a year ago this week, Leo XIV's measured style has given way to a trenchant tone in an ongoing confrontation with US President Donald Trump.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

“Markets can rally because the immediate risk of a wider confrontation has been pushed back, but the underlying regional risk has clearly not gone away,” the chief investment strategist added.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

The political, economic and military considerations that discourage a prolonged confrontation in the Persian Gulf are still applicable and other more supportive drivers are coming into view, they add.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 27, 2026

The patrol car pulls up and immediately it's a confrontation.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

Everyone in the room could see that a confrontation might boil up with the C.D.C. if the Army decided to move in on the monkey house.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

Related Words

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