General verbs:
* Meet: This is the most straightforward synonym, meaning to come together with someone or something.
* Come across: This suggests a chance meeting, often unexpected.
* Run into: Similar to "come across," but often implies a brief or casual encounter.
* Experience: This emphasizes the feeling or impact of the encounter.
* Face: This suggests a confrontation or challenge.
* Interact: This implies a mutual engagement.
More specific verbs:
* Clash: This implies conflict or disagreement.
* Confront: This suggests a direct and challenging meeting.
* Engage: This implies a purposeful interaction.
* Grapple: This implies a struggle or difficult encounter.
Examples:
* They met at a coffee shop.
* I came across a beautiful bird while walking in the park.
* She ran into her old friend at the grocery store.
* He experienced great difficulty during his journey.
* We faced many challenges while building our business.
* The two groups interacted peacefully at the event.
Ultimately, the best verb to use depends on the context of your sentence and the specific meaning you want to express.