encounter

American  

[en-koun-ter] / ɛnˈkaʊn tər /

verb (used with object)

1. to come upon or meet with, especially unexpectedly.

   to encounter a new situation.

2. to meet with or contend against (difficulties, opposition, etc.).

   We encounter so many problems in our work.

3. to meet (a person, military force, etc.) in conflict.

   We will encounter the enemy at dawn.

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verb (used without object)

1. to meet, especially unexpectedly or in conflict.

   We were angry when we encountered, but we parted with smiles.

noun

1. a meeting with a person or thing, especially a casual, unexpected, or brief meeting.

   Our running into each other was merely a chance encounter.

2. a meeting of persons or groups that are in conflict or opposition; combat; battle.

   Another such encounter and we may lose the war.

3. Psychology. a meeting of two or more people, as the members of an encounter group or a number of married couples marriage encounter, conducted to promote direct emotional confrontations among the participants, especially as a form of therapy encountertherapy.

encounter British  

/ ɪnˈkaʊntə /

verb

1. to come upon or meet casually or unexpectedly

2. to come into conflict with (an enemy, army, etc) in battle or contest

3. (tr) to be faced with; contend with

   he encounters many obstacles in his work

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noun

1. a meeting with a person or thing, esp when casual or unexpected

2. a hostile meeting; contest or conflict

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unencountered
  adjective
• reencounter
  verb
• encounterer
  noun
• preencounter
  noun

Etymology

Origin of encounter

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English encountren, from Anglo-French enco(u)ntrer, from Vulgar Latin incontrāre (unrecorded), equivalent to in- in- ¹ + -contrāre, verb suffix derived from contrā “against”; see counter ³

Explanation

If you run into that cute guy (or girl) from the local deli when you’re at the grocery store and you stop to chat, you’ve just had an encounter, which is a casual meeting, often resulting by chance. When you encounter the word encounter, context will tell you if it’s acting as a verb or a noun. The sentence “When Spencer and Susanna encounter a bear on the trail, they stand very still” illustrates the verb form. “The encounter in the subway left her wishing she had stayed at home” shows the noun form. Whether acting as a verb or a noun, the word carries the connotation of “chance meeting." You don’t plan an encounter; it just happens.

Example Sentences

Most people encounter ranch mix in its intended form, stirred into mayonnaise or sour cream and served alongside a platter of vegetables.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026

After the jarring encounter, Carpenter’s security team combed through security tapes and discovered Applegate had been coming around for more than a month, according to the court request.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026

The 30-year-old showed no hangover from that performance during his encounter with Cerundolo, as he raced through the opening set and came through a tie-break in the second.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

The electrical field created by the device’s magnetic technology is exponentially greater than anything a shark would encounter naturally, so they instinctively avoid it.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

It was the morning after their encounter with Sciron the bandit, and Jason was on duty, fighting some wild venti who were threatening the ship.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• bear
• bump into
• come across
• come upon
• confront
• detect
• experience
• face
• find
• meet
• run into
• suffer
• turn up