encounter

verb B2 Neutral

Daily Life

Meaning

To encounter means to come across or meet someone or something unexpectedly or by chance.

💡 A common mistake is to confuse "encounter" with "meet," as "encounter" often implies an unexpected meeting.

Example Sentences

Did you encounter any problems during your trip ?

I often encounter new challenges at work every week .

I often encounter new people at my language class .

Researchers often encounter unexpected challenges during data collection .

Word in Context

On her way to the market she encountered an old friend from college , and they decided to have coffee together . They sat at a small cafe and talked about their jobs and plans for the summer . The conversation was easy because they remembered many shared moments , although some details were different now . After an hour they exchanged phone numbers and agreed to meet again next month . Walking home , she felt happy that the unexpected meeting had made her day .

Common Phrases

encounter difficulties encounter challenges encounter resistance

Synonyms

Related Words

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