Word
confront
Phoneticscon·front, stress on the second syllable
US/kənˈfɹənt/
UK/kənfɹˈʌnt/
Definitions
01to face a person directly
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to meet someone face to face to talk about a problem or a disagreement.
v. to face someone in a direct or hostile manner, typically to challenge them or address a grievance.
日本語:対決する※
Español:enfrentar
“She decided to confront her manager about the unfair work schedule.”
“The protesters gathered outside the embassy to confront the ambassador regarding the recent changes in diplomatic policy.”
Usage
This verb is transitive and requires a direct object representing the person being faced.
02to deal with a problem
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to deal with a difficult situation or a problem instead of ignoring it.
v. to acknowledge and deal with a difficult situation, fact, or problem.
日本語:直面する※
“We need to confront the fact that our current plan is not working.”
“The administration must confront the systemic issues within the healthcare department before the crisis worsens further.”
Usage
Often used with abstract nouns like 'reality', 'truth', or 'problem'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
03to present evidence
C1 · Advanced Law Formal
v. to show someone evidence or a problem so they have to deal with it.
v. to bring someone face to face with evidence, a crime, or a difficult truth.
“The police confronted the suspect with the video evidence from the shop.”
“During the cross-examination, the lawyer confronted the witness with a series of contradictory statements from his previous deposition.”
Usage
Commonly follows the pattern 'confront someone with something'.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “confront” in context.
Verb
01. be forced to confront
“After the scandal broke, the politician was forced to confront his past mistakes.”
verb + infinitive
02. confront the intruder
“She showed great courage when she confronted the intruder in her hallway.”
verb + noun
03. confront the reality
“The board had to confront the reality that their business model was no longer sustainable.”
verb + noun
04. confront the witness with evidence
“The prosecutor confronted the witness with evidence that contradicted his previous statement.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Adverb
05. boldly confront
“The activists boldly confronted the CEO during the annual general meeting.”
adv + verb
06. directly confront
“Instead of sending an email, he decided to directly confront his manager about the promotion.”
adv + verb
Real-World Examples
“The recall reclassification comes as the Trump administration confronts a string of health crises involving food safety in the US.” “As summer temperatures soar across the United States and Europe, cities are being forced to confront the difficult reality that they're getting dangerously hot.” Etymology
From Middle French confronter, borrowed from Medieval Latin cōnfrontāre, from con- + frontem (“front, forehead”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/confront
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0