Meet is a common English word with several different meanings. It can mean to encountercome across and get to know a person or thing someone, to satisfydo enough to fulfill what is needed or demanded a requirement, to come together, or to gather socially. It also has less common senses in sports, law, and older formalused in serious, official, or traditional situations English.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Pronunciation

AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).

Accent: General American English

IPA: /mit/

Easy pronunciation: MEET (approximate spelling).

Stress: One syllable, stressed.

Verb sense: to come together with someone in person.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Meet Meaning

to come together with someone in person

Part of speech: verb

Definition: get together socially or for a specific purpose

Example: Let's meet for coffee after work.

Synonyms for this meaning:

• get together — A direct synonym in the social sense.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Other Meanings of Meet

Meaning 2

to arrive in the same place as someone else

Part of speech: verb

Definition: come together

Example: I'll meet you outside the station at 6.

Synonyms for this meaning:

• come across — Can fit some contexts, but it is less direct and often implies unexpectedly.
• run across — Usually means meeting someone by chance, not by arrangement.
• run into — Often used for unexpected meetings.
• see — Works in casual speech when talking about meeting someone.

Meaning 3

to be waiting for someone when they arrive

Part of speech: verb

Definition: meet by design; be present at the arrival of

Example: Can you meet me at the train station?

Meaning 4

to do what is needed or expected

Part of speech: verb

Definition: fill, satisfy or meet a want or need or condition or restriction

Example: This paper meets the requirements for the degree.

Synonyms for this meaning:

• conform to — A strong substitute when talking about rules or standards.
• fill — Can work in the sense of filling a need, but it is less exact.
• fit — Works when something matches a requirement.
• fulfil — British spelling.
• fulfill — Common American spelling.
• satisfy — Often works for requirements, conditions, or demands.

Meaning 5

to experience something bad or serious

Part of speech: verb

Definition: undergo or suffer

Example: He met a violent death.

Synonyms for this meaning:

• suffer — A real synonym in this sense.

Meaning 6

to join or touch at a boundary or point

Part of speech: verb

Definition: be adjacent or come together

Example: The two roads meet at the bridge.

Synonyms for this meaning:

• converge — Works when lines, roads, or paths join together, but it is more specific.

Meaning 7

to touch or join directly

Part of speech: verb

Definition: be in direct physical contact with; make contact

Example: The wall meets the roof at a sharp angle.

Synonyms for this meaning:

• adjoin — A close match for things that touch or are next to each other.
• contact — Can work in technical contexts, but is less natural as a general synonym.
• touch — A direct substitute when two things are in contact.

Meaning 8

to play or fight against someone

Part of speech: verb

Definition: contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle

Example: Our team will meet the champions in the final.

Synonyms for this meaning:

• take on — A natural modern substitute.
• play — Works in some sports contexts, but not all.
• encounter — Can fit battle or opposition, but is more general and less precise.

Meaning 9

to receive or go through something as a result

Part of speech: verb

Definition: experience as a reaction

Example: The proposal met strong resistance.

Synonyms for this meaning:

• encounter — Can work when the reaction is something one runs into.
• receive — Works in some contexts, but is broader and not always interchangeable.

Meaning 10

to bring people or things together

Part of speech: verb

Definition: collect in one place

Example: The committee met the teams in one room before the event.

Synonyms for this meaning:

• assemble — A strong synonym in this sense.
• gather — A common substitute.
• foregather — Correct, but rare.
• forgather — Correct, but very uncommon.

Meaning 11

a sports competition or sports event

Part of speech: noun

Definition: a meeting at which a number of athletic contests are held

Example: The school held its annual track meet yesterday.

Synonyms for this meaning:

• sports meeting — A direct equivalent, though somewhat formal.

Meaning 12

appropriate or proper

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: being precisely fitting and right

Example: It is only meet that she should be seated first.

Synonyms for this meaning:

• fitting — A close synonym in older or formal usage.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Meet Synonyms

Similar Meaning

• get together

come together / arrange to see someone

• come across
• run across
• run into
• see

satisfy a requirement or condition

• conform to
• fulfil
• fulfill
• satisfy

touch or join at a boundary

• adjoin
• touch

play or fight against

• take on

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Common Mistakes

• Do not use meet to mean only 'introduce' or 'know someone'—it usually means coming together in person.
• Don't confuse meet as a verb with meet as an adjective in older formal English, meaning 'proper' or 'fitting'.
• In sports, meet can be a noun meaning an athletic event, not just the verb meet.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common meaning of meet?

The most common everyday meaning is to come together with someone in person, often by arrangement.

Is meet the same as encounter?

Not usually. Encounter is broader and can sound more accidental or formal, while meet is the usual word for coming together with someone.

Can meet mean satisfy?

Yes. It is often used that way with requirements, rules, standards, or needs.

What is a track meet?

A track meet is a sports event where several athletic contests are held.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.