verb

confront

/kənˈfrʌnt/ · say it: kuhn·FRUNT

to face up to and deal with

In Actions & Behavior

In more detail

1. (verb) to face someone in a challenging or direct way, usually because of a disagreement or problem

2. (verb) to face a difficult situation or problem directly

Examples

1. He decided to confront his boss about the unfair treatment.
2. She had to confront her fears before she could move forward.

How to use confront

Confront can mean either to challenge a person directly about something (often with some tension) or to deal with a difficult situation head-on. It carries a sense of directness and often courage. When facing problems, it emphasizes tackling them rather than avoiding them; when directed at people, it suggests a direct encounter that may involve disagreement.

Common phrases

confront a problem
confront someone with evidence
confront difficult questions
confront a challenge
be confronted with

Synonyms

face · address · tackle · challenge · meet head-on

Opposites

avoid · evade · ignore

Word family

confrontation (noun) · confrontational (adjective) · confronting (adjective)

A common mistake

Learners often overuse confront when addressing someone—it suggests a more serious or challenging interaction than simply talking to someone or asking a question.

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