confront

[kuhn-fruhnt]

verb (used with object)

1. to face in hostility or defiance; oppose.

   The feuding factions confronted one another.

2. to present for acknowledgment, contradiction, etc.; set face to face.

   They confronted him with evidence of his crime.

3. to face and deal with boldly or directly.

   The city refuses to confront the real reason for the housing shortage.

4. to stand or come in front of; stand or meet facing.

   The two long-separated brothers confronted each other speechlessly.

5. to be in one's way.

   the numerous obstacles that still confronted him.

6. to bring together for examination or comparison.

confront

/ kənˈfrʌnt /

verb

1. (usually foll by with) to present or face (with something), esp in order to accuse or criticize

2. to face boldly; oppose in hostility

3. to be face to face with; be in front of

4. to bring together for comparison

Other Word Forms

• confronter noun
• reconfront verb (used with object)
• unconfronted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of confront¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Medieval Latin confrontārī, equivalent to Latin con-, variant of intensive prefix com- + -frontārī, derivative of Latin frōns (stem front- ) “forehead”; con-, front

Word History and Origins

Origin of confront¹

C16: from Medieval Latin confrontārī to stand face to face with, from frons forehead

Example Sentences

This reshuffle amounts to the action of a prime minister confronted by an almighty mess - and hurriedly seeking to seize that moment for his own and his government's ends.

From BBC

Mr Linehan is also accused of damaging Ms Brooks's phone when she tried to confront him outside the Battle of Ideas conference in London on 19 October last year.

From BBC

He says the character’s “emotional intelligence seemed to get less and less” during some seasons of the show, and he recalls confronting Fellowes about Robert’s inability to be kind to Mary after Matthew’s death.

From Los Angeles Times

Much like the news media, your industry is confronting budget constraints and technological disruption that is forcing changes to business models and programming strategies.

From Los Angeles Times

He argued that presidents are understood to have extra power when confronted with foreign threats to the nation’s security.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accost 
• defy 
• encounter 
• meet 
• oppose 
• repel 
• resist