to meet
To come into the presence or company of someone.
To meet means to come together with someone, whether planned or by chance.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Come together with people, planned or unplanned.
- Used for social, work, and formal situations.
- Past tense is 'met'.
Summary
To meet means to come together with someone, whether planned or by chance.
- Come together with people, planned or unplanned.
- Used for social, work, and formal situations.
- Past tense is 'met'.
Plan your meetings clearly
When arranging to meet someone, always confirm the time, place, and purpose. This helps avoid confusion and ensures everyone is on the same page.
Avoid meeting strangers alone
For safety reasons, especially when meeting someone for the first time arranged online, choose a public place and let someone know where you are going.
First meeting etiquette
In many English-speaking cultures, when meeting someone for the first time, a handshake is common, accompanied by phrases like 'Nice to meet you.' Punctuality is also generally valued.
Examples
4 of 4I'm going to meet my friends at the park this afternoon.
The committee will meet on Tuesday to discuss the budget.
Hey, let's meet up for coffee sometime next week!
Researchers often meet with participants to collect data.
Word Family
Memory Tip
Imagine two roads meeting at an intersection. They come together at one point. Think of people doing the same – coming together.
Overview
The verb 'to meet' is a fundamental word in English used to describe the action of encountering or coming together with someone. It can refer to a planned encounter, like a business meeting or a social gathering, or an unplanned one, like bumping into an old friend on the street. The core idea is the convergence of two or more people in a shared space or at a shared time.
'To meet' is typically followed by a direct object (the person or people being met), such as 'I will meet John at the cafe.' It can also be used with prepositions like 'with' to indicate the manner or purpose of meeting, e.g., 'She met with her colleagues to discuss the project.' In some contexts, it can imply the first encounter with someone, as in 'It was nice to meet you.' The verb is regular, with the past tense and past participle being 'met'.
This word is used across various situations. Socially, people meet friends, family, or romantic partners. In business, colleagues meet for work, and clients meet with service providers. Academically, students might meet with tutors or professors. It's also used for official gatherings like conferences or summits. Even in travel, one might meet people from different cultures.
'See' can be used informally to mean meet, as in 'I'll see you later,' but 'meet' specifically implies coming together at a particular place and time.
'Gather' implies bringing a group of people together, often for a specific purpose or event, and focuses more on the collective assembly than the individual act of coming together.
'Encounter' often suggests a meeting that is unexpected or even confrontational, though it can also be neutral. 'To meet' is more general and can be planned.
Usage Notes
'To meet' is a versatile verb used in both formal and informal contexts. When meeting someone for the first time, the phrase 'Nice to meet you' is standard. For planned events, it's common to say 'I will meet you at [location] at [time].' The phrasal verb 'meet up' is more informal and typically used among friends.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 'meet' with 'know' when talking about first encounters; 'It's nice to meet you' is correct, not 'It's nice to know you' for a first meeting. Also, ensure the correct preposition is used, like 'meet with colleagues' rather than just 'meet colleagues' if specifying a discussion.
Memory Tip
Imagine two roads meeting at an intersection. They come together at one point. Think of people doing the same – coming together.
Word Origin
The word 'meet' comes from Old English 'mētan', meaning 'to come into the presence of, find, light upon'. It shares roots with words related to finding or encountering.
Cultural Context
In many Western cultures, punctuality is important when you 'meet' someone. Arriving late can be seen as disrespectful. The act of meeting someone new often involves direct eye contact and a handshake.
Examples
I'm going to meet my friends at the park this afternoon.
everydayThe committee will meet on Tuesday to discuss the budget.
formalHey, let's meet up for coffee sometime next week!
informalResearchers often meet with participants to collect data.
academicWord Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
meet and greet
meet halfway
meet the requirements
Often Confused With
'Encounter' often implies an unexpected meeting, sometimes with a challenge or surprise. 'Meet' is more neutral and can be planned or unplanned.
'Gather' means to bring people together in one place, focusing on the group assembly. 'Meet' focuses more on the act of two or more individuals coming together.
Grammar Patterns
Plan your meetings clearly
When arranging to meet someone, always confirm the time, place, and purpose. This helps avoid confusion and ensures everyone is on the same page.
Avoid meeting strangers alone
For safety reasons, especially when meeting someone for the first time arranged online, choose a public place and let someone know where you are going.
First meeting etiquette
In many English-speaking cultures, when meeting someone for the first time, a handshake is common, accompanied by phrases like 'Nice to meet you.' Punctuality is also generally valued.
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb 'to meet'.
I have a business ______ with the new client tomorrow morning.
The sentence requires a noun form to indicate the event itself, which is 'meeting'.
Choose the best word to complete the sentence.
She _______ her old friend unexpectedly at the supermarket.
'Met' is the most appropriate verb here to describe the act of coming together with someone, especially when it's unexpected.
Arrange the words to form a grammatically correct sentence.
Arrange: you / I / later / will / meet
This is the standard Subject-Verb-Object structure in English.
Score: /3
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questions'Meet up' is a more informal phrasal verb that specifically implies a planned, often social, meeting between friends or acquaintances. 'To meet' is more general and can be formal or informal, planned or unplanned.
Yes, 'meet' can be used metaphorically for things coming together, like roads meeting at an intersection, or for fulfilling a requirement, like 'the funds met our needs.' However, for people, it always means coming together.
This phrase is generally used when meeting someone for the first time and is appropriate in most situations, from informal gatherings to semi-formal introductions. It's a polite and standard way to acknowledge a new acquaintance.
The past tense and past participle of 'meet' is 'met'. For example, 'We met last week,' and 'They have met several times before.'
Learn it in Context
Related Grammar Rules
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