1. past tense of encounter; to meet or come across unexpectedly
2. past tense of encounter; to experience or face (a problem, difficulty, or situation)

Examples

• We encountered heavy traffic on the highway.
• She encountered her old teacher at the grocery store.
• The hikers encountered a bear on the trail.
• He encountered several problems while setting up the computer.
• The team encountered unexpected challenges during the project.
• I encountered this word for the first time in yesterday’s reading.
• The explorers encountered harsh weather conditions in the mountains.