Meaning of encounter In English

• 0 a meeting, especially one that happens by chance:

  • I had an alarming encounter with a wild pig.

  • This meeting will be the first encounter between the party leaders since the election.

  • In their last encounter with Italy, England won 3–2.

• 1 to meet someone unexpectedly:

  • On their way home they encountered a woman selling flowers.

• 2 to experience something, especially something unpleasant:

  • When did you first encounter these difficulties?

  • The army is reported to be encountering considerable resistance.

• 3 to meet someone unexpectedly, or to experience, esp. something unpleasant:

  • In the kitchen I encountered a woman I had never seen before.

  • He was shocked by the hostility he encountered.

• 4 to experience a situation, especially something that is unexpected or unpleasant:

  • We encountered a problem with the fuel pump during safety tests.

  • This is the first time I have encountered racism at work.

• 5 a meeting with someone, especially one that is unexpected or unpleasant:

  • Customer service representatives are trained to handle encounters with angry customers.