confront

verb C1 Formal

Meaning

To confront is to face someone or something in a challenging or assertive manner, often involving a direct engagement with a difficult situation, issue, or individual, with the intention of addressing or resolving a conflict or disagreement.

💡 The term is often misused in informal contexts to imply mere presence rather than active engagement; it is important to convey the sense of assertiveness and intention in its usage.

Example Sentences

Researchers must confront ethical challenges when conducting human experiments .

She decided to confront the issue directly during the meeting .

The manager had to confront the employee about the missing reports .

The manager will confront the team about the missed deadline .

Word in Context

Maria had been uneasy for weeks about the recurring delays in her team's reports , so she rehearsed what to say before the meeting . Rather than letting frustration build , she chose to confront her colleague calmly and outline specific examples of missed deadlines . She used a measured tone , acknowledged the pressures everyone faced , and invited suggestions that might prevent future lapses . Although the conversation was tense at first , they quickly identified a miscommunication about responsibilities and agreed a clearer workflow . By addressing the issue directly and constructively , Maria preserved trust and helped the team become more reliable .

Common Phrases

confront a challenge confront an issue confront one's fears

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Never forget "confront"

Set a daily goal, reinforce with word cards and games, and track your progress in the Vocab5000 app — learn every C1 level word permanently with our science-based repetition system.

From App StoreDownload

From Google PlayDownload