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Confront vs Overcome - What's the difference?

confront | overcome |

In transitive terms the difference between confront and overcome

is that confront is to put a thing facing to; to set in contrast to while overcome is to surmount (a physical or abstract obstacle); to prevail over, to get the better of.

In intransitive terms the difference between confront and overcome

is that confront is to engage in confrontation while overcome is to win or prevail in some sort of battle, contest, etc.

confront

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To stand or meet facing, especially in competition, hostility or defiance; to come face to face with; to oppose; to challenge.
  • We should confront him about the missing money.
  • To deal with.
  • To something bring face to face with.
  • To come up against; to encounter.
  • To engage in confrontation.
  • To set a thing side by side with; to compare.
  • To put a thing facing to; to set in contrast to.
  • Derived terms

    * confrontation * confrontational * confronter * confrontment

    overcome

    English

    Verb

  • To surmount (a physical or abstract obstacle); to prevail over, to get the better of.
  • :to overcome enemies in battle
  • *Spenser
  • *:This wretched woman overcome / Of anguish, rather than of crime, hath been.
  • *1898 , , (Moonfleet), Ch.4:
  • *:By and by fumes of brandy began to fill the air, and climb to where I lay, overcoming the mouldy smell of decayed wood and the dampness of the green walls.
  • (obsolete) To win (a battle).
  • *:
  • *:Ther with all cam kyng Arthur but with a fewe peple and slewe on the lyfte hand and on the ryght hand that wel nyhe ther escaped no man / but alle were slayne to the nombre of xxx M / And whan the bataille was all ended the kynge kneled doune and thanked god mekely / and thenne he sente for the quene and soone she was come / and she maade grete Ioye of the ouercomynge of that bataille
  • To win or prevail in some sort of battle, contest, etc.
  • :
  • *
  • , chapter=2, title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=That the young Mr. Churchills liked—but they did not like him coming round of an evening and drinking weak whisky-and-water while he held forth on railway debentures and corporation loans. Mr. Barrett, however, by fawning and flattery, seemed to be able to make not only Mrs. Churchill but everyone else do what he desired. And if the arts of humbleness failed him, he overcame you by sheer impudence.}}
  • (usually in passive) To overwhelm with emotion.
  • :
  • To come or pass over; to spread over.
  • *Shakespeare
  • *:And overcome us like a summer's cloud.
  • To overflow; to surcharge.
  • :
  • References

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