Encounter (Verb)
Meaning 1
Come upon, as if by accident; meet with; "We find this idea in Plato"; "I happened upon the most wonderful bakery not very far from here"; "She chanced upon an interesting book in the bookstore the other day".
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- The archaeologists encountered a hidden chamber deep within the tomb while conducting a thorough excavation.
- She encountered an old friend by chance at the local coffee shop on a rainy morning.
- He encountered a stray dog while out for a walk in the woods and decided to adopt it.
- The team of scientists encountered an unusual rock formation while exploring the remote area of the planet.
- They encountered a small, family-owned restaurant while traveling through the countryside and had a wonderful meal.
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Meaning 2
Contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle; "Princeton plays Yale this weekend"; "Charlie likes to play Mary".
Classification
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities.
Examples
- The tennis player is set to encounter her toughest rival in the upcoming tournament.
- In the championship game, the home team will encounter the undefeated visitors from across town.
- The boxer is expected to encounter a formidable opponent in the lightweight division.
- The video game character will encounter several challenging bosses throughout the level.
- The chess grandmaster will encounter a young prodigy in the first round of the competition.
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Meaning 3
Come together; "I'll probably see you at the meeting"; "How nice to see you again!".
Classification
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming.
Examples
- I look forward to encountering some familiar faces at the conference.
- We'll likely encounter each other at the wedding reception.
- It's possible that we'll encounter again at some point in the future.
- Her fans were excited at the prospect of encountering their idol in person.
- I'm sure we'll encounter one another again soon.
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Meaning 4
Experience as a reaction; "My proposal met with much opposition".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- Her new business idea encountered stiff resistance from investors who doubted its feasibility.
- The artist's experimental style encountered a mixed reaction from critics and viewers alike.
- Their attempts to reform the company's policies encountered fierce opposition from the board of directors.
- The proposal to build a new mall encountered strong objections from local residents who feared the impact on traffic.
- The band's new sound encountered a lukewarm response from fans who missed their old style.
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Meaning 5
Be beset by; "The project ran into numerous financial difficulties".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- They will encounter fierce resistance if they decide to proceed with the plan.
- As she expanded her business, she began to encounter several logistical challenges.
- The company will encounter many obstacles in its attempt to enter the highly competitive market.
- The research team encountered several setbacks during the experiment, but eventually found a breakthrough.
- During her trip abroad, she encountered numerous cultural and language barriers.