What is meet? Pronunciation and usage in English

meet means . Learn how to pronounce and use meet through vivid examples and easy-to-understand exercises.

Definition & pronunciation of meet

meetverb

/miːt/
Definition & pronunciation of meet

Okay, let's break down how to pronounce "meet" in English. It's a tricky one for some learners! Here's a breakdown:

The most common and generally accepted pronunciation is:

  • /miːt/ (rhymes with "beet" or "seat")

Let's break it down further:

  • "mi": This part sounds like the "mi" in "him" or "time". It's a short, clear "i" sound.
  • "t": This is a simple, hard "t" sound, as in "top."

Here's a breakdown of where it can go wrong and how to correct it:

  • Many learners pronounce it like "meet" (with a long "ee" sound): This is incorrect. It sounds like "meet" as in "meat" (the food).
  • Adding an extra "e": Don't add an extra "e" sound as in "meet-ee".

Resources for Hearing it:

To summarize: Think "beet" or "seat." Short "i" sound, followed by a hard "t."

Do you want me to:

  • Give you some example sentences using the word "meet"?
  • Focus on a specific aspect of the pronunciation (like the vowel sound)?

Usage and examples with the word meet in English

Let's break down how to use the word "meet" in English! It's a very versatile word with multiple meanings. Here's a breakdown, categorized for clarity:

1. To Encounter Someone (Most Common)

  • Meaning: To come across someone unexpectedly or to arrange a meeting with someone.
  • Examples:
    • "I met my friend at the coffee shop." (I encountered my friend.)
    • "We need to meet next week to discuss the project." (We need to arrange a meeting.)
    • “I’m going to meet Sarah for lunch tomorrow.” (I'm planning to see Sarah.)
    • "I accidentally met him on the street." (I ran into him unexpectedly.)

2. To Join Together (Physical Combination)

  • Meaning: To combine or come together physically.
  • Examples:
    • "The river meets the sea." (The river joins the sea.)
    • "The two roads meet at a crossroads." (The two roads converge.)
    • “Water meets the ground and becomes a puddle.” (Water combines with the ground.)

3. To Reach a Point or Goal

  • Meaning: To achieve or arrive at a particular place or level.
  • Examples:
    • "They met their deadline." (They achieved their goal.)
    • "The company is meeting its sales targets." (The company is reaching its sales goal.)
    • "The marathon meets at the town hall." (The marathon ends there.)

4. "Meet" as a Verb in Phrases

  • Meet someone up with: To meet someone with something.

    • "I'll meet you up with the groceries." (I'll meet you and bring the groceries.)

  • Meet someone halfway: To compromise and find a middle ground.

    • “Let’s meet halfway on this issue.” (Let's compromise.)

  • Meet with (someone): To have a meeting with someone.

    • “The president will meet with the ambassadors.” (The president will have a meeting with them.)

  • Meet with success/failure: To have a successful/unsuccessful outcome.

    • “His efforts met with success.” (His efforts were successful.)
    • “The plan met with failure.” (The plan didn't work.)

  • Meet the requirements: To fulfill the necessary conditions.

    • “Does your application meet the requirements?” (Does your application fulfill the conditions?)

5. "Meet" as a Noun (Less Common)

  • Meaning: A meeting or encounter.
  • Examples:
    • "Let's arrange a meet to discuss this further." (Let’s have a meeting.)
    • “We had a good meet and greet at the conference.” (We had a chance to meet and greet.)

Tips for Using "Meet" Correctly

  • Context is key: The meaning of "meet" depends entirely on how it's used in a sentence.
  • Consider the action: Think about what is happening when you use the word. Are you encountering someone, combining something, or achieving a goal?

To help me give you even more targeted advice, could you tell me:

  • What specifically are you trying to use "meet" for? (e.g., "I want to know how to say I'm going to meet a friend," or "I'm confused about when to use 'meet' versus 'encounter'?")

Synonyms for the word meet

Idioms of the word meet

find/meet your match (in somebody)
to meet somebody who is equal to or even better than you in strength, skill or intelligence
  • He thought he could beat anyone at chess but he’s met his match in Peter.
make (both) ends meet
to earn just enough money to be able to buy the things you need
  • Many families struggle to make ends meet.
meet somebody’s eye(s) | meet somebody’s gaze, look, etc. | people’s eyes meet
if you meet somebody’s eye(s), you look directly at them as they look at you; if two people’s eyes meet, they look directly at each other
  • She was afraid to meet my eye.
  • Their eyes met across the crowded room.
  • She met his gaze without flinching.
if a sight meets your eyes, you see it
  • A terrible sight met their eyes.
meet somebody halfway
to reach an agreement with somebody by giving them part of what they want
  • If he was prepared to apologize, the least she could do was meet him halfway and accept some of the blame.
meet your Maker
(especially humorous)to die
    never the twain shall meet
    (saying)used to say that two things are so different that they cannot exist together
      there is more to somebody/something than meets the eye
      a person or thing is more complicated or interesting than you might think at first
        where the rubber meets the road
        (North American English)the point at which something is tested and you really find out whether it is successful or true
        • Here's where the rubber meets the road: will consumers actually buy the product?

        Comment ()