confront — English Dictionary

Verb

1. To stand or meet facing, especially in competition, hostility or defiance; to come face to face with.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Synonyms

   opposechallenge

   Examples

   It is important that police officers learn to deescalate situations in which someone confronts them aggressively.

2. To deal with.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Synonyms

   tackle

   Examples

   confront a problem

3. To bring someone face to face with something.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Examples

   We should confront him about the missing money.

4. To come up against; to encounter.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Examples

   Inter Milan are to confront Juventus in the final.

5. To engage in confrontation.

   Usage

   • Intransitive

6. To set a thing side by side with; to compare.

   Usage

   • Transitive

7. To put a thing facing to; to set in contrast to.

   Usage

   • Transitive

Verb

1. oppose, as in hostility or a competition

   Synonyms

   face

   Broader terms

   meetencounterplaytake on

   Examples

   You must confront your opponent

   Jackson faced Smith in the boxing ring

   More examples (1)

   The two enemies finally confronted each other

2. deal with (something unpleasant) head on

   Synonyms

   face upface

   Antonyms

   avoid

   Broader terms

   set aboutgo aboutapproach

   Examples

   You must confront your problems

   He faced the terrible consequences of his mistakes

3. present somebody with something, usually to accuse or criticize

   Synonyms

   facepresent

   Broader terms

   presentrepresentlay out

   Examples

   We confronted him with the evidence

   He was faced with all the evidence and could no longer deny his actions

   More examples (1)

   An enormous dilemma faces us

4. be face to face with

   Broader terms

   frontlookface

   Examples

   The child screamed when he confronted the man in the Halloween costume