I. kənˈfrənt transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle French confronter to confront, border on, from Medieval Latin confrontare to bound, from Latin com- + Medieval Latin -frontare (from Latin front-, frons forehead, front) — more at brink
1.
a. : to stand facing or opposing especially in challenge, defiance, or accusation : face : stand up to
enemies confronting one another
confront an accuser in court
b. : to face (something dangerous or dreaded) without flinching or avoiding
the test of a free society is its capacity to confront , rather than evade, the vital questions of choice — J.M.Burns
2. : to put or bring face to face : compel (a person) to face, take account of, or endure — usually used with by or with
confront a reader with statistics
confronted by … novels … frank to the point of immodesty — M.D.Geismar
poor culprits … confronted with law Latin — R.M.Weaver
3.
a. : meet , encounter
recurrent phenomena … can always … be confronted experimentally — A.C.Danto
b. : to stand before or in the way of
the hardships and problems confronting the pioneers
4. : to set in opposition for comparison : compare
conclusions which can be confronted with experience — Alfred Einstein
Synonyms: see meet
II. noun
( -s )
obsolete : confronting, facing , affront