A soldier often has to confront danger.
Source: tatoeba (320115)
Confront
/kənˈfɹʌnt/
Synonyms for "confront" (283 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (57)
accostadvanceaffrontalight uponanalogizeapproachappropinquateapproximateassimilateawaitbafflebalancebalkbe imminentbe in storebear down onbear down uponbear upbeardbell the cat
Strong matches (85)
bump intocall outchallengecheckmatecircumventcloseclose inclose withcomecome acrosscome amongcome closercome forwardcome nearcome oncome upcome up againstcome uponcomparecompare and contrast
Show 49 more words
compare withcomplaincomplain loudlyconfoundconfront withcontendcontend withcontraposecontrapositcontrastcontravenecountercounteractcountermandcounterposecounterworkcrossdaredashdefeatdefydestroydiscomfitdisconcertdiscountenancedishdisputedisruptdissentdouble-daredraw a comparisondraw a paralleldraw neardraw nighdraw oneludeencounterenvisagefaceface downface outface the musicface upface up toface withfall acrossfall amongfall foul offall upon
Verb(8 words)
Noun(8 words)
Related words (141)
fightfloutflummoxfoilforthcomefrontfrustrategain upongathergriphang overhoverimpendkickkick againstknock the chockslay beforelie oppositelie overlight upon
Show 95 more words
likenliken toloomlourlowermake a standmatchmeasuremeasure againstmeetmeet boldlymeet head onmeet head-onmeet squarelymeet up withmeet withmenacemetaphorizenarrow the gapnearnonplusobjectoffer resistanceopposeoutdareoverhangparallelperplexpit againstpitch uponplace againstplace beforepolarizepose againstpresent toprotestproximateput in oppositionput it torecalcitraterelatereluctremonstrateresistrevoltriskruinrun a comparisonrun acrossrun intorun smack intorun the gauntletrun up againstrun uponsabotagescornscotchscoutscream defianceset at defianceset beforeset in contrastset in oppositionset offset off againstset over againstshow fightsidlesidle up tosimilizespeak outspeak upspikespoilstandstand at baystand in the waystand opposedstand oppositestand up againststand up tostare downstemstep upstonewallstrive againststumpsubtendthreatenthwartupsetview togetherweighweigh againstwithstand
Noun(11 words)
Verb(14 words)
Determiner(1 words)
whole organism approached
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: face, accost, accosted, accosting, accosts.
- Sentence evidence is available for confront, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "confront".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "confront"
Keep "confront" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "confront" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "confront", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "confront" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
16 entriesMore specific
6 entriesCollocations
5 entriesconfront a challengeconfront a problemconfront criticsconfront dangerconfront reality
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
3 entriesSample sentences
14 total sentences available.
And so in that spirit, let me speak as clearly and plainly as I can about some specific issues that I believe we must finally confront together.
Source: tatoeba (377070)
The first issue that we have to confront is violent extremism in all of its forms.
Source: tatoeba (377072)
In Ankara, I made clear that America is not – and never will be – at war with Islam. We will, however, relentlessly confront violent extremists who pose a grave threat to our security.
Source: tatoeba (377074)
Showing 4 of 14 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "confront"?
Closest matches include face, accost, accosted, accosting, accosts.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "confront"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.