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Glite Dictionary
💪 To face directly 🗣️ To challenge
to confront

to confront

310 4.1
Face someone directly in an angry or challenging way to accuse them
  • verb
  • /kənˈfrʌnt/
translation icon : enfrentar a
  • Two days later, Rev. Hartley once more confronted Mr. Jones, who again denied the allegations.
  • confront each other directly
  • confront someone openly
  • confront someone head-on

Then she confronts him about it and he lies.

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Examples

  • I had to confront Carol at any cost.

    Stuck on You! (1982)

  • And yes, do not confront him alone.

  • It's not enough to arrest him, but it's definitely enough to confront him.

    End Game (2006)

  • It's making him look bad, and I have to go confront the guy over in West Block.

    Animal Factory (2000)

  • And then when he came out and walked to his car, I simply confronted him.

    Melinda and Melinda (2004)

  • Then she confronts him about it and he lies.

    Matthew Hussey

  • That night, Ruby comes into my father's club and he confronts my Dad.

    Behind the Burly Q (2010)

  • We got Bryce Hall, Taylor Holder confront Stromedy at BOA.

  • You need to confront your fears if you want to overcome them.

  • During the meeting, she decided to confront her colleague about the missed deadlines.

Synonyms

to face
vsto confront
∞ 2.2

To deal with a difficult situation or person

is specifically a direct and often accusing or hostile encounter rather than general handling
to accost
vsto confront
24 8.0

Go up to someone and speak to them in a bold or aggressive way

is more directly hostile and often includes accusing actions rather than mere approach
to face head-on
vsto confront
9 4.2

Deal with a problem directly instead of avoiding it

is more personal and often more hostile or accusing than this problem focus
to harangue
vsto confront
7 8.9

To speak angrily to someone for a long time

is usually shorter and more directly accusing or hostile than extended speech
to look squarely at
vsto confront
1 4.8

Face a person or problem directly without avoiding it

is more likely to be challenging or accusing rather than merely direct
to get on someone's grill
vsto confront
  • Slang
9.9

To tell someone angrily that you do not like what they did

is a direct, often accusing or hostile approach rather than informal criticism

Antonyms

to avoid
∞ 1.0

To stay away from something or not do it to stop something bad from happening

to ignore
∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

Compounds

right to confront accusers
  • Formal
8.3

A right to question people who say you did something wrong in a criminal trial

How Confrontational

to attack
∞ 1.3
to confront
310 4.1
to accuse
∞ 2.7
to challenge
  • Formal
552 4.3

Surface Forms

confront infinitive
confronted past
confronted past participle
confronting present participle
confronts third person singular

Morphology

confront = front (semi-transparent) = con + front

While the form 'con-' + 'front' clearly yields 'to face', the sense of confronting a person often carries an aggressive/accusatory nuance not fully predictable from the base.

Etymology

Confront comes from Latin parts con- 'with' and front 'forehead' or 'front'. It literally meant 'face to face', so to confront someone is to meet or face them directly, often in a challenging or accusing way.