to encounter

Examples

• All

• Anyone that uses the Internet will inevitably encounter American culture.

  Triggernometry

• Then who did you encounter?

  Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies (2012)

• But yes, you can encounter problems there a lot.

  The Diary Of A CEO

• Where do you encounter that approach?

  Harvard University

• Now, might I suggest, given the nature of our common enemy, and the numbers we're about to encounter, that we come up with a plan?

  The Man with the Iron Fists (2012)

• And you know, we encountered this a little bit earlier.

  Gregory B. Sadler - That Philosophy Guy

• Never in my whole career have I encountered this before.

• Any force trying to enter would certainly encounter heavy casualties.

  Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

• What are the problems you and others encounter while using the phonics method?

  Academic text (2015)

• During your life, you're going to encounter circumstances that make you sweat.

Synonyms

F

to find

vsto encounter

∞ 1.0

To discover something while looking or by accident

emphasizes chance meetings and also emotional or event experiences

S

to see

vsto encounter

• Informal

∞ 1.0

To have a romantic relationship with someone

is mainly accidental or unexpected meeting rather than planned social visits

E

to experience

vsto encounter

∞ 2.1

To feel something while it happens to you

focuses on chance or unplanned meetings rather than just feelings

R

to run into

vsto encounter

556 2.7

Meet someone by chance without planning

is broader, covering both chance meetings and other experiences

M

to meet

vsto encounter

310 2.0

To get a reaction from people, for example praise or criticism

adds the idea of meeting or coming across someone or something by chance

C

to come across

vsto encounter

289 2.6

To find something or someone by chance

is broader, applying to both chance and intended meetings

S

to stumble

vsto encounter

189 2.8

To find something by chance

is broader and can mean planned meetings or general experiences

B

to bump

vsto encounter

118 2.8

To meet someone by chance while you are out

is used more widely, including planned meetings and general experience

B

to bump into

vsto encounter

112 2.2

To meet someone by chance in a public place

can mean meeting by chance but also intentional or nonsocial events

C

to come upon

vsto encounter

59 2.2

To find something or someone by chance

adds a wider sense that includes intentional encounters and experiences

C

to cross paths

vsto encounter

• Informal

48 3.7

Meet someone by chance

is broader and includes planned encounters and nonmeeting events

R

to run across

vsto encounter

39 2.7

Find something by chance while doing something else

also covers direct experiences that may not be accidental

C

to chance on

vsto encounter

25 6.1

To find something or someone by accident while doing something else

is broader, also covering deliberate or nonchance experiences

H

to happen upon

vsto encounter

18 4.9

Find a person or thing by chance

also applies to deliberate meetings and nonmeeting experiences

C

to chance upon

vsto encounter

4 5.1

Find someone or something by accident

is less focused on accident and includes planned experience

C

to cross one's path

vsto encounter

1 4.2

To meet someone unexpectedly, often by chance

covers both accidental meetings and other kinds of experience

Compounds

E

encounter group

• Specialized

1 8.3

A group meeting where people honestly talk about their feelings to understand themselves and each other

How Unexpected

to run into

556 2.7

to encounter

406 3.2

to meet

∞ 1.0

to arrange

653 2.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology