Encounter = negative?

[Nordwald]

Hi!

Without context, how does the verb "encounter" sound to you? Would you assume it's something negative and confrontational, or is it just neutral?

Thanks for your help :)

[Grumpy]

It does not have any negative connotations for me, but it does signal a "significant" meeting.

[5jj]

I think that I am more likely to encounter problems than solutions.

[BobK]

Hi!

Without context(There's no such thing) , how does the verb "encounter" sound to you? Would you assume it's something negative and confrontational, or is it just neutral?

Thanks for your help :)

I imagine you mean 'if you hear the word without context'. And I agree that it has no negative connotations.

b

[SoothingDave]

I think that I am more likely to encounter problems than solutions.

Yes, but if you have an encounter with a young lady, it's probably a happy thing.

I think it's neutral absent any other context.

[emsr2d2]

I would say it's neutral without knowing the context. With the context, it can be anything!

Brief Encounter (film) = romantic, a little sad.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (film) = a little scary but ultimately happy.
An encounter with a knifeman on your way home at 3am = terrifying
Encountering problems at work = frustrating
Encountering Brad Pitt on my doorstep when I get home from work = gobsmackingly wonderful (but sadly unlikely).

[5jj]

Encountering Brad Pitt on my doorstep when I get home from work = gobsmackingly wonderful

[BobK]

This reminds me of my daughter's primary-school essay about the Annunciation. The teacher marked her down for saying 'When Mary heard that she was going to have a baby she was gobsmacked. (I thought it was brilliant. )

b