confronted

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'confronted' is correct and usable in written English.
It means to face something or someone fearlessly or with determination and can be used in a variety of contexts. For example, you could say: After years of struggling with his finances, Tom finally confronted his debt and was able to pay it off.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Plibersek and the opposition's health spokeswoman, Catherine King, wrote to ministers on Thursday saying Australia could not afford to keep standing by as the world confronted "the most serious health emergency of the modern era".

The Guardian

"Co-operation is required from all sides so that the cash flow problem is confronted," he said.

The Guardian

"Field has spoken fully and frankly about the Tutill murder when confronted with the hard facts of the DNA evidence," said Supt Treble.

The Guardian

He confronted her at a local food bank by asking how "a Tory MP who votes for slashing welfare benefits" copes with visiting a place that "feeds the poorest of her constituents?" He says: "Mary Macleod has never been shown to her constituents in this manner.

The Guardian

On 24 June , 2014 Donovan and I confronted Ghomeshi with the claims of my original four sources in an emailed letter; he denied everything and threatened to sue if we published or continued to investigate him.

The Guardian - Opinion

When Facebook's published its requests data, the general counsel, Ted Ullyot, wrote: "We aggressively protect our users' data when confronted with such requests: we frequently reject such requests outright, or require the government to substantially scale down its requests, or simply give the government much less data than it has requested".

The Guardian - Tech

She was well aware of how to exploit a sitter's bemusement when confronted by this short-of-stature figure speaking in clipped sentences with a posh accent.

The Guardian - Arts

"Women, confronted with the knowledge that their child will be born with abnormalities, live in fear instead of being supported," one woman said.

The Guardian

And a new generation of environmental and anti-corporate activists could identify with those who had confronted a militarised invasion of their communities more than a decade earlier.

The Guardian

All that is left is a story to tell our children: a story of thousands of Syrian people who confronted Assad's tyranny and dictatorship with tremendous sacrifices, and yet the world turned its back on them; a revolution that was poisoned by intruders, traitors and foreign money.

The Guardian

A police officer who confronted the attackers in the streets outside as they fled was also shot and killed.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "confronted" when you want to emphasize a direct and often challenging encounter with a problem, person, or situation. It suggests a willingness to face something head-on.

Common error

Avoid using "confronted" when describing situations where someone simply encountered something without any element of challenge or opposition. For instance, say "He encountered a problem" instead of "He confronted a problem" if the problem didn't require him to actively face it down.

Linguistic Context

The word "confronted" primarily functions as a verb in the past tense or as a past participle. As demonstrated by Ludwig, it describes the action of facing someone or something, often with a sense of challenge or opposition. For example, "He confronted her at a local food bank."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "confronted" is a verb frequently used to describe a direct and often challenging encounter. As verified by Ludwig AI, its grammatical status is correct, and it sees common use across various contexts, notably in news and media. While the tone is typically neutral, "confronted" carries a sense of directness when facing an issue or individual. When writing, remember that it's best used when you want to emphasize a head-on approach to tackling something difficult. Furthermore, keep in mind that there are many suitable alternatives depending on the context, ranging from "faced" to "addressed" or even "clashed with".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

faced

A more general term for encountering something, lacking the implication of direct opposition present in "confronted".

tackled

Implies a more proactive and forceful approach to dealing with a problem or challenge.

challenged

Focuses on questioning or disputing something, rather than a direct physical or verbal encounter.

addressed

Focuses on dealing with an issue or problem, rather than a direct encounter with a person or obstacle.

clashed with

Suggests a more intense and potentially violent encounter.

came up against

Highlights the aspect of opposition or difficulty encountered.

opposed

Highlights resistance or disagreement, rather than a direct meeting or encounter.

dealt with

Emphasizes the process of handling a situation or problem, rather than the initial confrontation.

grappled with

Implies a prolonged and difficult struggle with a problem or situation.

encountered

A neutral term for coming across something, without the element of conflict or challenge.

FAQs

How can I use "confronted" in a sentence?

You can use "confronted" to describe facing a challenge, problem, or person directly. For example: "She "confronted" her fears by speaking in public."

What can I say instead of "confronted"?

You can use alternatives like "faced", "addressed", or "tackled", depending on the context.

Which is correct, "confronted" or "encountered"?

"Confronted" implies a direct and often challenging encounter, while "encountered" is a more neutral term for simply coming across something. The correct choice depends on whether there was an element of opposition or challenge.

What's the difference between "confronted" and "challenged"?

"Confronted" describes a direct encounter, while "challenged" focuses on questioning or disputing something. You "confront" a person, but you "challenge" an idea.