verb

encounter

ihn-KOWN-tuh

verb

To meet or come across someone or something, especially unexpectedly.

"We encountered a herd of deer on the trail."

"She encountered several problems while setting up the new system."

noun

A meeting, especially one that is unplanned, tense, or significant.

"It was a brief but memorable encounter with the actor."

How to Use Encounter

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo run into someone or something, or a meeting of that kind.

Common pairings

chance encounter encounter a problem first encounter

encountered past tense, encounters plural, encounters singular

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Can you complete this real example?

We _____ a herd of deer on the trail.

From Old French encontrer ("to confront"), from encontre ("against"), ultimately from Latin in- + contra ("against").

hunter bunter punter Gunter counter headhunter