encounter

To unexpectedly experience or meet; (noun) an unexpected or significant meeting.

• nostandard derivatives beyond the root

• encounter problems
• encounter resistance
• a close encounter
• encounter for the first time
• chance encounter
• encounter difficulty
• encounter opposition

1. 1.The research team encountered unexpected resistance when trying to access patient records.
2. 2.The documentary follows a researcher's first encounter with wild mountain gorillas.

• meet/miːt/— come across — more neutral
• face/feɪs/— be confronted by
• come across /kʌm əˈkrɒs/ (find unexpectedly — informal)

from Old French "encontrer" = to confront, from Latin "in-" (in) + "contra" (against)