Definition of encounter - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
unexpected meetingmeet someone or find something unexpectedly
- I encountered an old friend at the market.
2.
hard timesbe faced with, and try to handle trouble
- We encountered trouble on the hike and had to turn back.
Noun
1.
meetingunexpected meeting with someone or something
- Their encounter with a wild bear was frightening..
2.
conflictbrief conflict or fight
- The troops prepared for a fierce encounter..
3.
sportsUK sports match between two teamsUK
- The encounter ended in a draw.
Expressions with encounter
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face problems or difficulties unexpectedly
We may encounter trouble on our journey.
meeting involving sexual activity
Their first sexual encounter was unexpected.
brief and unplanned meeting
Their relationship started with a chance encounter at a coffee shop.
near collision or narrowly avoided accident
The driver experienced a close encounter with a deer on the highway.
private meeting between close individuals
They had an intimate encounter to discuss their future.
unexpected meeting with someone or something
I had a random encounter with an old friend at the mall.
meeting for couples to discuss their marriage
The marriage encounter helped them communicate better.
unexpected meeting again
The re-encounter at the airport surprised them both.
group meeting for self-awareness, understanding, and open emotional expression
He joined an encounter group to better understand himself.
Origin of encounter
Old French, encontrer (meet)
Terms with encounter included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
encounter
come into the presence or company of someone
interaction
chance or planned encounter between people
identification
identify someone or something from a previous encounter
meeting
encounter someone unexpectedly
unexpected discovery
encounter or discover something unexpectedly
face difficulty
encounter a problem or difficulty
accidental meeting
meet or encounter someone by chance
situations
in every situation you encounter
personal interaction
initial encounter or interaction between individuals
difficulty
encounter a difficulty unexpectedly during a task
encounter
in direct encounter between two people
encounter
meet someone unexpectedly
encounter
they met or became connected, often by chance
social
surprise encounter with someone
difficulty
encounter a problem or obstacle
interaction
brief encounter or conflict
brief encounter
encounter briefly or casually
quick encounter
pass by quickly without significant interaction
encounter
be encountered by someone
challenges
encounter challenges or obstacles
intercultural meeting
initial communication or encounter between different cultures or civilizations
intimacy
engage in a casual or unexpected sexual encounter
close call
experience a brief encounter with something
minor problem
encounter a small problem or interruption
Examples of encounter in a sentence
We encountered a problem during the project. Small businesses often encounter difficulties when applying for bank loans. During the negotiations, we encountered unexpected resistance from the board. The encounter with her old friend was a surprise. He had a brief encounter with the celebrity. The encounter between the two rivals was intense.
A brief encounter broke out between the factions. Saturday's encounter will decide the league leaders. The derby encounter drew thousands of supporters.
View all translations of encounter
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:rencontrer, rencontre, ...
- German:treffen, Begegnung, ...
- Italian:incontrare, incontro, ...
- Spanish:encontrar, encuentro, ...
- Portuguese:encontrar, encontro, ...
- Chinese:遇到, 偶遇, ...
- Japanese:出会う, 遭遇, ...
- Arabic:صَادَفَ, مُصَادَفَة, ...
- Hebrew:לְהִיתָּקֵל, מִפְגָּשׁ, ...
- Russian:встретить, встреча, ...
- Ukrainian:зустрічати, зустріч, ...
- Hindi:अचानक मिलना, सामना, ...
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