a casual meeting with a person or thing
"I had an unexpected encounter with my old teacher while buying coffee at the local shop."
a hostile disagreement face-to-face
"The two rivals met at the airport and immediately encountered each other in a heated argument before security could intervene."
A meeting, especially one that is unplanned or unexpected.
"We had a chance encounter at the coffee shop while waiting in line."
In plain English: An encounter is when you meet someone or something unexpectedly while going about your day.
"We had an unexpected encounter with a bear while hiking in the mountains."
come together
"I'll probably see you at the meeting"
"How nice to see you again!"
To meet (someone) or find (something), especially unexpectedly.
"I never expected to encounter an old friend while walking through the busy market."
In plain English: To encounter means to meet someone or something by chance while you are out and about.
"We encountered several traffic jams on our way to the city."
Usage: Use encounter to describe an accidental or surprising meeting with a person or the discovery of something difficult, such as obstacles during travel. Avoid using it for planned social gatherings where you intentionally seek out someone else's company.
The word "encounter" comes from the Middle English encountren, which was borrowed from Old French and originally meant "to confront." It traveled into English through Anglo-Norman, carrying with it a sense of meeting someone or something face-to-face.