October 10, 2026
encounter
/ɪnˈkaʊntə/noun
A meeting with someone or something, often one that was not planned.
Example sentences
- “She described her brief encounter with the famous actor at the airport.”
- “Hikers should know what to do in an encounter with a bear.”
As a verb it pairs with difficulties: you encounter problems, resistance, obstacles. A 'close encounter' comes from UFO vocabulary.