Guide 206 / 366 5 swaps Formal register
Professional words for “encounter”
Five swaps for "encounter."
i · When it mattersTwo lines, no filler
"Encounter" works for both meetings and obstacles. Pick the swap that names which one — "come across" for meetings; "run into" for obstacles.
ii · The swaps5 ways
- 01Come across neutral
casual chance meeting
I came across an old draft.
- 02Meet neutral
plain default
We met him at a conference.
- 03Bump into informal
casual run-in
I bumped into her at the airport.
- 04Run into neutral
obstacles or people
We ran into a memory limit.
- 05Stumble upon neutral
unexpected discovery
She stumbled upon a useful pattern.