encounter

[en-koun-ter]

verb (used with object)

1. to come upon or meet with, especially unexpectedly.

   to encounter a new situation.

2. to meet with or contend against (difficulties, opposition, etc.).

   We encounter so many problems in our work.

3. to meet (a person, military force, etc.) in conflict.

   We will encounter the enemy at dawn.

verb (used without object)

1. to meet, especially unexpectedly or in conflict.

   We were angry when we encountered, but we parted with smiles.

noun

1. a meeting with a person or thing, especially a casual, unexpected, or brief meeting.

   Our running into each other was merely a chance encounter.

2. a meeting of persons or groups that are in conflict or opposition; combat; battle.

   Another such encounter and we may lose the war.

3. 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 encountertherapy.

encounter

/ ɪnˈkaʊntə /

verb

1. to come upon or meet casually or unexpectedly

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

3. (tr) to be faced with; contend with

   he encounters many obstacles in his work

noun

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

2. a hostile meeting; contest or conflict

Other Word Forms

• encounterer noun
• preencounter noun
• reencounter verb
• unencountered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of encounter¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English encountren, from Anglo-French enco(u)ntrer, from Vulgar Latin incontrāre (unrecorded), equivalent to in- in- ¹ + -contrāre, verb suffix derived from contrā “against”; counter ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of encounter¹

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

Example Sentences

Those encounters turned into conversations about film, queerness, art and the strange loneliness of being transplants in a city obsessed with dreams.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“A big switch in the strategy is really to make sure that we are eliminating any friction that somebody can encounter when they want to play,” Tascan said in an interview.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

To explore this, they placed worms on a layer of beads that mimicked the feel of the E. coli they normally encounter while feeding.

Read more on Science Daily

These encounters can leave bees with fewer resources even when they appear to come out ahead in a fight.

Read more on Science Daily

After a brief encounter, Hunter pulled out a gun and shot at both men.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• bear 
• bump into 
• come across 
• come upon 
• confront 
• detect 
• experience 
• face 
• find 
• meet 
• run into 
• suffer 
• turn up