Definition Definition

encounter - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'encounter' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Encounter [ adv.]
- To come against face to face; to meet; to confront, either by chance, suddenly, or deliberately; especially, to meet in opposition or with hostile intent; to engage in conflict with; to oppose; to struggle with; as, to encounter a friend in traveling; two armies encounter each other; to encounter obstacles or difficulties, to encounter strong evidence of a truth.
2 . Encounter [ v. i.]
- To meet face to face; to have a meeting; to meet, esp. as enemies; to engage in combat; to fight; as, three armies encountered at Waterloo.
3 . Encounter [ v. t.]
- A meeting face to face; a running against; a sudden or incidental meeting; an interview.
- A meeting, with hostile purpose; hence, a combat; a battle; as, a bloody encounter.

Meaning of 'encounter' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . encounter [ n]
Meaning (1):
- a casual or unexpected convergence
Example in sentence:
  • he still remembers their meeting in Paris;
  • there was a brief encounter in the hallway
2 . encounter [ v]
Meaning (2):
- contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle
Example in sentence:
  • Charlie likes to play Mary;
  • Princeton plays Yale this weekend
Meaning (3):
- come together
Example in sentence:
  • How nice to see you again!;
  • I'll probably see you at the meeting
Meaning (4):
- come upon, as if by accident; meet with
Example in sentence:
  • I happened upon the most wonderful bakery not very far from here;
  • She chanced upon an interesting book in the bookstore the other day;
  • We find this idea in Plato
Meaning (5):
- experience as a reaction
Example in sentence:
  • My proposal met with much opposition
Meaning (6):
- be beset by
Example in sentence:
  • The project ran into numerous financial difficulties