encounter

[ en-koun-ter ]

/ ɛnˈkaʊn tər /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR encounter ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to come upon or meet with, especially unexpectedly: to encounter a new situation.

to meet with or contend against (difficulties, opposition, etc.): We encounter so many problems in our work.

to meet (a person, military force, etc.) in conflict: We will encounter the enemy at dawn.

verb (used without object)

to meet, especially unexpectedly or in conflict: We were angry when we encountered, but we parted with smiles.

noun

a meeting with a person or thing, especially a casual, unexpected, or brief meeting: Our running into each other was merely a chance encounter.

a meeting of persons or groups that are in conflict or opposition; combat; battle: Another such encounter and we may lose the war.

Psychology. a meeting of two or more people, as the members of an encounter group or a number of married couples (marriage encounter), conducted to promote direct emotional confrontations among the participants, especially as a form of therapy (encounter therapy).

Nearby words

Origin of encounter

1250–1300; Middle English encountren < Anglo-French enco(u)ntrer; Old French < Vulgar Latin *incontrāre, equivalent to in- in-¹ + -contrāre, derivative of contrā against; see counter³

Related formsen·coun·ter·er, nounpre·en·coun·ter, noun, verb (used with object)re·en·coun·ter, verb, nounun·en·coun·tered, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for encounter

This is heartfelt music, and after a first encounter you will find yourself coming back for more.
The Best Albums of 2014|Ted Gioia|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Outside of that one encounter, however, Moses is pretty meek.
Christian Bale: One Man's Moses Is Another Man's Terrorist|Candida Moss, Joel Baden|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What if healthy sexuality was the framework that young adults used to process every sexual message that they encounter?
A Rallying Cry Against the Oversexualization of Our Youth|Darryl Roberts|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Often, the most common opportunity for police officers to encounter a sovereign citizen is during a traffic stop.
Sovereign Citizens Are America’s Top Cop-Killers|Caitlin Dickson|November 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST

On the second planet, they encounter a marooned astronaut named Dr. Mann, and a fistfight ensues.
Neil deGrasse Tyson Breaks Down ‘Interstellar’: Black Holes, Time Dilations, and Massive Waves|Marlow Stern|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We encounter much difficulty in attempting to reduce these various facts to any rule or law.
The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication, Volume II (of 2)|Charles Darwin
What sadness and difficulty may not his noble and generous spirit have had to encounter!
Alida|Amelia Stratton Comfield
The man said nothing, and she looked up to encounter a steady gaze from eyes somewhat puzzled.
The Lighted Match|Charles Neville Buck
Already Galileo began to encounter vulgar indignation which accused him of impiety.
Gospel Philosophy|J. H. Ward
We felt that we should inevitably have to encounter considerable difficulties, and perhaps even fail to reach Eucla.
Explorations in Australia|John Forrest

British Dictionary definitions for encounter

encounter

/ (ɪnˈkaʊntə) /

verb

to come upon or meet casually or unexpectedly

to come into conflict with (an enemy, army, etc) in battle or contest

(tr) to be faced with; contend withhe encounters many obstacles in his work

noun

a meeting with a person or thing, esp when casual or unexpected

a hostile meeting; contest or conflict

Derived Formsencounterer, noun

Word Origin for encounter

C13: from Old French encontrer, from Vulgar Latin incontrāre (unattested), from Latin in- ² + contrā against, opposite

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

Word Origin and History for encounter (1 of 2)

encounter

c.1300, "meeting of adversaries, confrontation," from Old French encontre "meeting; fight; opportunity," noun use of preposition/adverb encontre "against, counter to" from Late Latin incontra "in front of," from Latin in- "in" (see in- (2)) + contra "against" (see contra). Modern use of the word in psychology is from 1967, from the work of U.S. psychologist Carl Rogers (1902-1987). Encounter group attested from 1967.

Word Origin and History for encounter (1 of 2)

encounter

c.1300, "to meet as an adversary," from Old French encontrer "confront," from encontre (see encounter (n.). Weakened sense of "casually meet" first recorded in English early 16c. Related: Encountered; encountering.

encounter

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

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Origin of encounter

Examples from the Web for encounter

British Dictionary definitions for encounter

encounter

verb

noun

Word Origin for encounter

Word Origin and History for encounter (1 of 2)

encounter

Word Origin and History for encounter (1 of 2)

encounter