encounter

noun

A meeting, especially one that is unplanned or unexpected.

A hostile, often violent meeting; a confrontation, skirmish, or clash, as between combatants.

(sexuality) A sexual encounter; sexual activity, especially unplanned or unexpected, between two people who have not already established a sexual relationship with each other. In many cases, it does not lead to a relationship, and thus is utterly transient. A sexual encounter can be consensual or non-consensual; in the latter case, it is known as sexual assault. A consensual sexual encounter that happens only once is commonly known as a one-night stand.

(sports) A match between two opposing sides.

(India) An extrajudicial killing or execution.

(sciences) The period of a space mission during which it carries out its data-gathering objectives.

verb

(transitive) To meet (someone) or find (something), especially unexpectedly.

(transitive) To confront (someone or something) face to face.

(intransitive) To engage in conflict, as with an enemy.

(transitive, euphemistic, India) To kill or execute someone extrajudicially.

(intransitive, rare) To meet one another.

Roots

contra-counter · Latin · against, opposite

Synonyms for encounter

meetv confrontationn clashn skirmishn collidev matchv dueln accostv

Synonyms & related words for encounter

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of encounter — including meet, confrontation, clash, skirmish, collide, match. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to encounter

Explore words related to encounter — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include rencounter, showdown, happen, find, confronted, met, confronting, chance. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for encounter

Common synonyms for encounter include meet, confrontation, clash, skirmish, collide, match, duel, accost — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does encounter come from?

The word encounter breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root -counter, from Latin contra (“against, opposite”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.