confrontations

noun

plural of confrontation
as in rivalries
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another the softball rivals met in an epic confrontation on the last weekend of the summer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of confrontations Those confrontations with federal officers ultimately turned deadly when Renee Macklin Good and Alex Pretti were fatally shot by federal agents just weeks apart. — Clay Masters, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026 The race has been shaped by the killing of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis, confrontations that were caught on camera and fueled a backlash to Trump’s immigration policies. — ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026 That ominous focus runs beneath the trailer, beneath the guns, frantic confrontations, cars, and glimpses of a family suddenly forced to look over its shoulder. — Sophie Miller, Rolling Stone, 10 Aug. 2026 Far from the first standoff In more recent history, no name evokes such tensions more than the Bundy family, Nevada ranchers who twice squared off with the federal government in armed confrontations. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 9 Aug. 2026 After shootings or other serious confrontations, a committee that includes top ICE officials and lawyers will review footage and recommend whether to release it promptly, according to the body camera policy issued in February 2025. — Ryan J. Foley, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026 But the agency’s policy could mean taxpayers who are pitching in tens of millions of dollars to pay for the cameras may be kept in the dark about some high-profile confrontations — at least in their immediate aftermath. — Ryan J. Foley, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026 And despite the confrontations, Kotzmacher said rally supporters received more positive feedback, privately. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026 Additional confrontations and standoffs also occurred in Sikkim. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confrontations
  1. rivalries
  2. battles
  3. struggles
  4. duels
  5. conflicts
  6. competitions
  7. contentions
Noun
  • Dynastic rivalries, regional rebellions, economic disruption, and the demographic effects of the Black Death all undermined imperial authority.
    — Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Professional sports have always thrived on heroes, villains, rivalries and grievances.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of rivalries
Noun
  • Teams earned points by winning weekly head-to-head battles – tugging a sled across the field the fastest, surviving a heated game of dodgeball – and by simply doing the right thing.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • More recently, the legal battles became the subject of barbs and jokes as comedian Bill Maher accepted the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in late June.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of battles
Noun
  • After the slayings, Nick’s struggles with mental health and drug addiction made headlines.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 12 Aug. 2026
  • That credibility often transfers to the guest, creating an authentic form of brand exposure that traditional advertising struggles to replicate.
    — Julio Cesar Gomez, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of struggles
Noun
  • Cherry went 74 minutes in Sunday’s loss to Racing Louisville, recording four defensive clearances and winning three of her four aerial duels as Angel City lost for the first time in four games.
    — Damian Calhoun, Daily News, 31 July 2026
  • Physicality is an important aspect in winning such duels, but Stones’ timing is often impeccable in the crucial moments.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Definition of duels
Noun
  • The annual Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic will kick off sooner than usual to accommodate booking conflicts with Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
    — Jack Leo, AJC.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Additional conflicts may arise in jurisdictions that prohibit cash customers from paying more than customers using other payment methods, a rule symmetric rounding can violate when a cash total rounds up.
    — Brian Delp, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of conflicts
Noun
  • Contrast that with eventual EFL champions Coventry City (48 in 49 in all competitions) and Championship runners-up Ipswich Town (50 in 49).
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The discourse has spanned from high school sports to international competitions and pro leagues like the WNBA, where a pair of male former NBA players are currently claiming to identify as women to pressure a more definitive policy.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of competitions
Noun
  • Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter, whose tenure brought team success and three World Series contentions, now faces significant scrutiny over his business practices.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • At the time, Sackler offered no response to these contentions.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2026
Definition of contentions

Browse Nearby Words

confrontational
confrontations
confronted
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Cite this Entry

“Confrontations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confrontations. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on confrontations

Nglish: Translation of confrontations for Spanish Speakers

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