confront

verb

con·​front kən-ˈfrənt How to pronounce confront (audio)
confronted; confronting; confronts
Synonyms of confront

transitive verb

1
: to face especially in challenge : oppose
confront an enemy
The mayor was confronted by a group of protesters.
2
a
: to cause to meet : bring face-to-face
confront a reader with statistics
confronted her with the evidence
b
: to meet face-to-face : encounter
confronted the possibility of failure
confrontal
kən-ˈfrən-tᵊl How to pronounce confront (audio)
noun
confronter noun

Synonyms of confront

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Examples of confront in a Sentence

They confronted the invaders at the shore. She confronted him about his smoking. The country is reluctant to confront its violent past. The photographs confront the viewer with images of desperate poverty. I confronted her with the evidence.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Nothing comes of it, of course, until months later, when Corinne sees the news that Kiberlain is taking to the Paris stage in a production of the very same play, and bitterly confronts her outside the theater. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026 Executives confronting deployment problems aren’t necessarily responding to the same pressures as students thinking about their futures. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026 Several works confront the digital systems shaping contemporary life, subverting algorithms and finding room for human error and agency. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026 Several Seahawks defenders immediately confronted Greenlaw after the hit and Greenlaw responded by head-butting Jones. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for confront

Word History

Etymology

Middle French confronter to border on, confront, from Medieval Latin confrontare to bound, from Latin com- + front-, frons forehead, front

First Known Use

circa 1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of confront was circa 1568

Rhymes for confront

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Browse Nearby Words

confrication
confront
confrontal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Confront.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confront. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

confront

verb
con·​front kən-ˈfrənt How to pronounce confront (audio)
1
: to face especially in challenge : oppose
confront an enemy
2
: to bring face-to-face : cause to meet
confronted with difficulties
confrontation
ˌkän-(ˌ)frən-ˈtā-shən
noun

Legal Definition

confront

transitive verb
con·​front kən-ˈfrənt How to pronounce confront (audio)
: to face or bring face-to-face for the purpose of challenging especially through cross-examination
the accused shall enjoy the right…to be confronted with the witnesses against him—U.S. Constitution amend. VI
confrontation
ˌkän-frən-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce confront (audio)
noun
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