confront

[[t]kənfrʌ̱nt[/t]]

♦♦♦

confronts, confronting, confronted

1) VERB If you are confronted with a problem, task, or difficulty, you have to deal with it.

[be V-ed with/by n] She was confronted with severe money problems...

[V n] Ministers underestimated the magnitude of the task confronting them.

Syn:

face

2) VERB If you confront a difficult situation or issue, you accept the fact that it exists and try to deal with it.

[V n] We are learning how to confront death...

NATO countries have been forced to confront fundamental moral questions.

Syn:

face

3) VERB: usu passive If you are confronted by something that you find threatening or difficult to deal with, it is there in front of you.

[be V-ed with/by n] I was confronted with an array of knobs, levers, and switches.

Syn:

face

4) VERB If you confront someone, you stand or sit in front of them, especially when you are going to fight, argue, or compete with them.

[V n] She pushed her way through the mob and confronted him face to face...

[V n] They don't hesitate to open fire when confronted by police...

[V n] The candidates confronted each other during a televised debate.

5) VERB If you confront someone with something, you present facts or evidence to them in order to accuse them of something.

[V n with n] She had decided to confront Kathryn with what she had learnt...

[V n about n] I could not bring myself to confront him about it...

[V n] His confronting me forced me to search for the answers.