encounter
verb (used with object)
to come upon or meet with, especially unexpectedly.
encountered
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past participleof encounter.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof encounter.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
encounterverb (used with object)to come upon or meet with, especially unexpectedly.
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.
These cosmic shock waves are vastly more powerful than those encountered near Jupiter.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026
He had wanted to meet McGee long before they encountered each other in a San Francisco thrift store last year, and he admires his support for less established artists.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
The changes address a long-simmering grievance among travelers, some of whom have encountered checkout instructions that read less like the end of a vacation and more like the beginning of a Saturday spent doing housework.
From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2026
“The Disappearers” author Marlon James, who is also a creative writing M.F.A. professor, said he hadn’t yet encountered students using chatbots to write.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026
What has happened since Europeans first encountered the land masses known as North and South America?
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
