CONFRONT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does confront mean? 

• CONFRONT (verb)
  The verb CONFRONT has 4 senses:

1. oppose, as in hostility or a competition

2. deal with (something unpleasant) head on

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

4. be face to face with

  Familiarity information: CONFRONT used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CONFRONT (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they confront    ... he / she / it confronts   
Past simple: confronted   
Past participle: confronted   
-ing form: confronting   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Oppose, as in hostility or a competition

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

confront; face

Context example:

The two enemies finally confronted each other

Hypernyms (to "confront" is one way to...):

encounter; meet; play; take on (contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "confront"):

breast; front (confront bodily)

take the bull by the horns (face a difficulty and grapple with it without avoiding it)

match; oppose; pit; play off (set into opposition or rivalry)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

confrontation (the act of hostile groups opposing each other)

confrontation (a bold challenge)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Deal with (something unpleasant) head on

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

confront; face; face up

Context example:

He faced the terrible consequences of his mistakes

Hypernyms (to "confront" is one way to...):

approach; go about; set about (begin to deal with)

Verb group:

confront; face; present (present somebody with something, usually to accuse or criticize)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "confront"):

tackle; take on; undertake (accept as a challenge)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Antonym:

avoid (stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Present somebody with something, usually to accuse or criticize

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

confront; face; present

Context example:

An enormous dilemma faces us

Verb group:

confront; face; face up (deal with (something unpleasant) head on)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

confrontation (a focussed comparison; bringing together for a careful comparison)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Be face to face with

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

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

Hypernyms (to "confront" is one way to...):

face; front; look (be oriented in a certain direction, often with respect to another reference point; be opposite to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

confrontation (the act of hostile groups opposing each other)

confrontation (a hostile disagreement face-to-face)

 Context examples 

When confronted with his cravat, he turned very pale, and was utterly unable to account for its presence in the hand of the murdered man.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The youthful figure and alert, eager face of Inspector Stanley Hopkins confronted us in the open doorway.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

When Mars opposes Uranus on November 24, you may be unexpectedly confronted with news that pulls you in opposite directions, home versus career.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Miss Hunter screamed and shrunk against the wall at the sight of him, but Sherlock Holmes sprang forward and confronted him.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Mr. Rochester, having quitted the Eshtons, stands on the hearth as solitary as she stands by the table: she confronts him, taking her station on the opposite side of the mantelpiece.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

He opened his eyes to escape it, but the white light of the room seemed to sear the balls and forced him to close his eyes, when the "$3.85" confronted him again.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

He fought it off for hours, then threw his rifle open and was confronted with emptiness.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

The hut’s walls rose without difficulty, and everything went smoothly until the problem of the roof confronted me.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

At such times, confronted by three sets of savage teeth, the young wolf stopped precipitately, throwing himself back on his haunches, with fore- legs stiff, mouth menacing, and mane bristling.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

They also did not confront the mystery of the major 20-percent dips in brightness that Kepler observed while studying the Cygnus field of its primary mission.

(Mysterious Dimming of Tabby's Star May Be Caused by Dust, NASA)