confrontation
confrontation は英検準1級・英検1級・TOEIC 860・TOEFL 80・IELTS 6.5レベルの英単語で、「対決、対立」という意味があります。発音記号は /ˌkɑːnfrənˈteɪʃən/ です。
意味一覧 (2件)
対決
解説 Definition
二つ以上の勢力や個人が直接的に対抗する状況。衝突や対立を意味します。
A confrontation is a direct and often tense meeting or clash between people or groups who disagree. It is commonly used for arguments, conflicts, or situations where both sides face each other openly. It can describe a verbal conflict or a physical one.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
このエントリでは confrontation を、単なる意見の不一致ではなく、二者が正面からぶつかる「対決」として覚えます。confront は「向き合う」なので、confrontation は相手を避けずに向かい合う場面です。showdown に近く、政治勢力、チーム、軍事的な相手などが直接ぶつかる緊張した局面を思い浮かべると定着します。基本義の「対立」より、勝敗・決着・直接衝突の感じが強い用法です。
Start with the verb `confront`: to face someone directly. Add `-ation`, and you get the noun for that direct face-to-face clash. It often appears in phrases like `direct confrontation` or `avoid confrontation`, so picture two sides meeting head-on.
例文
The confrontation between the two teams was intense.
二つのチーム間の対決は激しかった。
The political confrontation lasted for several hours.
政治的な対決は数時間続いた。
They tried to avoid confrontation and find a peaceful solution.
彼らは対決を避け、平和的な解決策を見つけようとした。
対立
(意味 2)解説 Definition
意見・利害・立場が合わず、緊張した関係になることを表します。個人同士だけでなく、組織、国、政治勢力などの間の不一致や衝突寸前の状態にも使われます。
Confrontation is a tense situation in which people, groups, or countries face each other because their opinions, interests, or positions do not match. It is stronger than a simple disagreement and often suggests open tension or the possibility of a clash. The word is used not only for personal relationships but also for politics, business, and international affairs.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
confront は「正面から向き合う」という動詞で、-ation が付くとその状態や出来事を表す名詞になります。confrontation は単なる disagreement より緊張が強く、conflict より「相手と向き合う」感じが出やすい語です。avoid confrontation, direct confrontation, confrontation between A and B の形で、「対立を避ける」「直接の対立」のように覚えると使いどころが見えます。別エントリの「対決」は、より勝敗や正面衝突の場面に寄った訳です。
Think of confront as "face someone directly." When you add -ation, it becomes the state or event of facing someone in tension. Confrontation is usually stronger than disagreement, but it often focuses more on facing the other side directly than the broader word conflict. It is useful to remember common patterns such as avoid confrontation, direct confrontation, and confrontation between A and B.
例文
The two leaders tried to solve the issue without direct confrontation.
その2人の指導者は、直接の対立を避けながら問題を解決しようとした。
There is growing confrontation between local residents and the company over the new project.
新しい計画をめぐって、地域住民とその会社の間の対立が強まっている。
Her calm response prevented the meeting from turning into a confrontation.
彼女の冷静な対応によって、その会議は対立に発展せずにすんだ。
confrontation の語源・成り立ち Etymology
confrontation はラテン語 confrons に連なる confront からで、con-「共に」+ front「前面・顔」が骨格です。『顔を突き合わせること』が対決へ発展した語で、front や affront も同じ front を共有します。
Confrontation comes from confront, which goes back to Late Latin words built from con- meaning "together" and frons meaning "forehead" or "front." The original idea was of people facing each other directly, almost "bringing faces together." From that physical image, the meaning developed into a clash or direct conflict. Related English words include front and affront.
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