encounter
verb (used with object)
to come upon or meet with, especially unexpectedly.
had encountered
-
past perfectof encounter.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
Simon Dudhill, who monitors the birds for Peterborough City Council's barn owl recovery scheme, said finding six owlets sharing a nest was "exceptionally good" and was the largest brood he had encountered in 2026.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
The children had encountered the “-le” syllable the past school year, but were repeating the lesson to make sure they grasped it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
Those statements echoed the testimony of a farmer who had claimed years earlier that on an evening in April 2004, he had encountered a man driving a sedan with German licence plates.
From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026
In her work on the Central Coast, Taylor said she had responded to calls from people who had encountered rattlesnakes in their backyards.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 1, 2026
And had encountered Janza who should have been out there practicing but had been waiting for him.
From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier
