Find vs. Meet — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 3, 2024
"Find" involves discovering or locating something by searching or by chance, while "meet" refers to encountering or gathering with people either planned or coincidentally.
Difference Between Find and Meet
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
The verb "find" primarily denotes the act of discovering something previously hidden, unknown, or lost, often involving a deliberate search or a fortunate happenstance. On the other hand, "meet" is used to describe the action of coming into the presence of someone else, typically involving two or more people either by arrangement or by chance.
"Find" can also imply a sense of achievement or resolution, such as finding an answer or a solution to a problem. Whereas "meet" emphasizes the social aspect, focusing on the interaction between individuals, such as meeting a friend or a group.
In legal or formal contexts, "find" can refer to concluding an investigation or making a judicial decision, such as finding a verdict in a trial. Meanwhile, "meet" in formal settings may involve convening a group for a specific purpose, like meeting a committee or assembly.
In literature and expression, "find oneself" is a common phrase indicating a journey of self-discovery or personal realization. Conversely, "meet one's match" suggests encountering someone equal in ability or character, highlighting competitive or comparative encounters.
"Find" is often associated with locating information or data, like using a search function in software. On the other hand, "meet" has become synonymous with virtual or digital gatherings, especially popularized by online meeting platforms.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
To discover or locate.
To encounter or assemble with.
Usage Context
Search, discovery, realization.
Social interaction, gatherings, appointments.
Formal Usage
Judicial decisions, investigation conclusions.
Convening assemblies, official gatherings.
Expressive Phrases
"find oneself", "find the truth".
"meet one's match", "meet by chance".
Technological Relevance
Used in software for search functions.
Used for virtual gatherings and online meetings.
Compare with Definitions
Find
To arrive at a conclusion or solution.
She found the answer to the puzzle after hours of thought.
Meet
To face or confront.
He met his accuser with a steady gaze.
Find
To perceive or recognize.
You may find that things have changed here since you left.
Meet
To come into the presence of by chance or arrangement.
We will meet at the coffee shop at noon.
Find
To experience or undergo.
He found himself feeling surprisingly calm during the interview.
Meet
To encounter or experience.
She met severe challenges during her first year at college.
Find
To discover something lost or hidden.
I finally found my lost earrings under the bed.
Meet
To hold a meeting.
The board meets every Thursday.
Find
Judicially determine.
The jury found the defendant guilty.
Meet
To fulfill or satisfy.
This plan meets all our requirements.
Find
To come upon, often by accident; meet with
Found a dime on the floor.
Meet
To come into the presence of by chance or arrangement
I was surprised to meet an old friend in the park. I met a friend for coffee.
Find
To come upon or discover by searching or making an effort
Finally found the leak in the pipe.
Meet
To come into the company of
I met my colleagues for a meeting.
Find
To discover or ascertain through observation, experience, or study
Found a solution.
Find the product of two numbers.
Found that it didn't really matter.
Meet
To be introduced to; make the acquaintance of
Have you met my wife?.
Find
To perceive to be, after experience or consideration
Found the gadget surprisingly useful.
Found the book entertaining.
Meet
To come together or confront in opposition
The rival teams meet next week.
Find
To experience or feel
Found comfort in her smile.
Meet
To be present at the arrival of
Met the train.
Find
To recover (something lost)
Found her keys.
Meet
To come into conjunction with; join or touch
Where the road meets the highway.
Find
To recover the use of; regain
Found my voice and replied.
Meet
To come into conformity with the views, wishes, or opinions of
The firm has done its best to meet us on that point.
Find
To succeed in reaching; arrive at
The dart found its mark.
Meet
To come to the notice of (the senses)
There is more here than meets the eye.
Find
To obtain or acquire by effort
Found the money by economizing.
Meet
To experience or undergo
He met his fate with courage. The project has met a setback.
Find
To decide on and make a declaration about
The jury deliberated and found a verdict of guilty.
Meet
To be sufficient for (a need, for example); fulfill
Meet all the conditions in the contract.
Find
To furnish; supply
We can find a bed for you somewhere in the house.
Meet
To deal or contend with effectively
We can meet each problem as it arises.
Find
To bring (oneself) to an awareness of what one truly wishes to be and do in life.
Meet
To pay; settle
Enough money to meet expenses.
Find
To perceive (oneself) to be in a specific place or condition
Found herself at home that night.
Found himself drawn to the stranger.
Meet
To come together
Didn't recognize him when we met. Where should we meet for lunch?.
Find
To come to a legal decision or verdict
The jury found for the defendant.
Meet
To come into conjunction; be joined
The two pipes meet in the corner.
Find
The act of finding.
Meet
To come together as opponents; contend
The team met with its rival.
Find
Something that is found, especially an unexpectedly valuable discovery
The Rosetta stone was a providential archaeological find.
Meet
To become introduced
Where did the two of you meet?.
Find
To locate
Meet
To assemble
Protesters met in the square.
Find
(transitive) To encounter or discover by accident; to happen upon.
I found this shell on the beach
Meet
To occur together, especially in one person or entity
Suspense and intrigue meet in this new movie.
Find
(transitive) To encounter or discover something being searched for; to locate.
I found my car keys. They were under the couch.
Meet
A meeting or contest, especially an athletic competition.
Find
(ditransitive) Locate on behalf of another
I found you a new place to live
Meet
Fitting; proper
"It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place" (Shakespeare).
Find
(ditransitive) To discover by study or experiment direct to an object or end.
Water is found to be a compound substance.
Meet
To make contact (with) while in proximity.
Find
(transitive) To gain, as the object of desire or effort.
To find leisure; to find means
Meet
To come face to face with by accident; to encounter.
Fancy meeting you here! Guess who I met at the supermarket today?
Find
(transitive) To attain to; to arrive at; to acquire.
Looks like he found a new vehicle for himself!
Meet
To come face to face with someone by arrangement.
Let's meet at the station at 9 o'clock.
Find
(transitive) To point out.
He kept finding faults with my work.
Meet
To get acquainted with someone.
I'm pleased to meet you! I'd like you to meet a colleague of mine.
I met my husband through a mutual friend at a party. It wasn't love at first sight; in fact, we couldn't stand each other at first!
Find
(ditransitive) To decide that, to discover that, to form the opinion that.
I find your argument unsatisfactory.
Meet
(Of groups) To come together.
Find
(transitive) To arrive at, as a conclusion; to determine as true; to establish.
To find a verdict; to find a true bill (of indictment) against an accused person
Meet
To gather for a formal or social discussion; to hold a meeting.
I met with them several times. The government ministers met today to start the negotiations.
Find
To supply; to furnish.
To find food for workmen
Meet
To come together in conflict.
Find
To provide for
He finds his nephew in money.
Meet
(sports) To play a match.
England and Holland will meet in the final.
Find
To determine or judge.
The jury finds for the defendant.
Meet
To make physical or perceptual contact.
Find
To successfully pass to or shoot the ball into.
Peters finds Jinkins, who is running down the left wing.
Meet
To converge and finally touch or intersect.
The two streets meet at a crossroad half a mile away.
Find
To discover game.
Meet
To touch or hit something while moving.
The right wing of the car met the column in the garage, leaving a dent.
Find
Anything that is found (usually valuable), as objects on an archeological site or a person with talent.
Meet
To adjoin, be physically touching.
The carpet meets the wall at this side of the room. The forest meets the sea along this part of the coast.
Find
The act of finding.
Meet
(transitive) To respond to (an argument etc.) with something equally convincing; to refute.
He met every objection to the trip with another reason I should go.
Find
To meet with, or light upon, accidentally; to gain the first sight or knowledge of, as of something new, or unknown; hence, to fall in with, as a person.
Searching the window for a flint, I foundThis paper, thus sealed up.
In woods and forests thou art found.
Meet
To satisfy; to comply with.
This proposal meets my requirements. The company agrees to meet the cost of any repairs.
Find
To learn by experience or trial; to perceive; to experience; to discover by the intellect or the feelings; to detect; to feel.
The torrid zone is now found habitable.
Meet
(intransitive) To balance or come out correct.
Find
To come upon by seeking; as, to find something lost.
Seek, and ye shall find.
Every mountain now hath found a tongue.
Meet
To perceive; to come to a knowledge of; to have personal acquaintance with; to experience; to suffer.
The eye met a horrid sight. He met his fate.
Find
To provide for; to supply; to furnish; as, to find food for workemen; he finds his nephew in money.
Wages £14 and all found.
Nothing a day and find yourself.
Meet
To be mixed with, to be combined with aspects of.
Find
To arrive at, as a conclusion; to determine as true; to establish; as, to find a verdict; to find a true bill (of indictment) against an accused person.
To find his title with some shows of truth.
Meet
(sports) A sports competition, especially for track and field or swimming.
Track meet
Swim meet
Find
To determine an issue of fact, and to declare such a determination to a court; as, the jury find for the plaintiff.
Meet
(hunting) A gathering of riders, horses and hounds for foxhunting; a field meet for hunting.
Find
Anything found; a discovery of anything valuable; especially, a deposit, discovered by archæologists, of objects of prehistoric or unknown origin.
Meet
(rail transport) A meeting of two trains in opposite directions on a single track, when one is put into a siding to let the other cross.
Find
A productive insight
Meet
(informal) A meeting.
OK, let's arrange a meet with Tyler and ask him.
Find
The act of discovering something
Meet
(algebra) The greatest lower bound, an operation between pairs of elements in a lattice, denoted by the symbol ∧.
Find
Come upon, as if by accident; meet with;
We find this idea in Plato
I happened upon the most wonderful bakery not very far from here
She chanced upon an interesting book in the bookstore the other day
Meet
(archaic) Suitable; right; proper.
Find
Discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of;
She detected high levels of lead in her drinking water
We found traces of lead in the paint
Meet
To join, or come in contact with; esp., to come in contact with by approach from an opposite direction; to come upon or against, front to front, as distinguished from contact by following and overtaking.
Find
Come upon after searching; find the location of something that was missed or lost;
Did you find your glasses?
I cannot find my gloves!
Meet
To come in collision with; to confront in conflict; to encounter hostilely; as, they met the enemy and defeated them; the ship met opposing winds and currents.
Find
After a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study;
Find the product of two numbers
The physicist who found the elusive particle won the Nobel Prize
Meet
To come into the presence of without contact; to come close to; to intercept; to come within the perception, influence, or recognition of; as, to meet a train at a junction; to meet carriages or persons in the street; to meet friends at a party; sweet sounds met the ear.
His daughter came out to meet him.
Find
Come to believe on the basis of emotion, intuitions, or indefinite grounds;
I feel that he doesn't like me
I find him to be obnoxious
I found the movie rather entertaining
Meet
To perceive; to come to a knowledge of; to have personal acquaintance with; to experience; to suffer; as, the eye met a horrid sight; he met his fate.
Of vice or virtue, whether blest or curst,Which meets contempt, or which compassion first.
Find
Perceive or be contemporaneous with;
We found Republicans winning the offices
You'll see a lot of cheating in this school
I want to see results
The 1960 saw the rebellion of the younger generation against established traditions
I want to see results
Meet
To come up to; to be even with; to equal; to match; to satisfy; to ansver; as, to meet one's expectations; the supply meets the demand.
Find
Get something or somebody for a specific purpose;
I found this gadget that will serve as a bottle opener
I got hold of these tools to fix our plumbing
The chairman got hold of a secretary on Friday night to type the urgent letter
Meet
To come together by mutual approach; esp., to come in contact, or into proximity, by approach from opposite directions; to join; to come face to face; to come in close relationship; as, we met in the street; two lines meet so as to form an angle.
O, when meet nowSuch pairs in love and mutual honor joined !
Find
Make a discovery, make a new finding;
Roentgen discovered X-rays
Physicists believe they found a new elementary particle
Meet
To come together with hostile purpose; to have an encounter or conflict.
Weapons more violent, when next we meet,May serve to better us and worse our foes.
Find
Make a discovery;
She found that he had lied to her
The story is false, so far as I can discover
Meet
To assemble together; to congregate; as, Congress meets on the first Monday of December.
They . . . appointed a day to meet together.
Find
Obtain through effort or management;
She found the time and energy to take care of her aging parents
We found the money to send our sons to college
Meet
To come together by mutual concessions; hence, to agree; to harmonize; to unite.
We met with many things worthy of observation.
Prepare to meet with more than brutal furyFrom the fierce prince.
Find
Decide on and make a declaration about;
Find someone guilty
Meet
An assembling together; esp., the assembling of huntsmen for the hunt; also, the persons who so assemble, and the place of meeting.
Find
Receive a specified treatment (abstract);
These aspects of civilization do not find expression or receive an interpretation
His movie received a good review
I got nothing but trouble for my good intentions
Meet
Suitable; fit; proper; appropriate; qualified; convenient.
It was meet that we should make merry.
Find
Perceive oneself to be in a certain condition or place;
I found myself in a difficult situation
When he woke up, he found himself in a hospital room
Meet
Meetly.
Find
Get or find back; recover the use of;
She regained control of herself
She found her voice and replied quickly
Meet
A meeting at which a number of athletic contests are held
Find
Succeed in reaching; arrive at;
The arrrow found its mark
Meet
Come together;
I'll probably see you at the meeting
How nice to see you again!
Find
Accept and make use of one's personality, abilities, and situation;
My son went to Berkeley to find himself
Meet
Get together socially or for a specific purpose
Meet
Be adjacent or come together;
The lines converge at this point
Meet
Fill or meet a want or need
Meet
Satisfy a condition or restriction;
Does this paper meet the requirements for the degree?
Meet
Satisfy or fulfill;
Meet a need
This job doesn't match my dreams
Meet
Get to know; get acquainted with;
I met this really handsome guy at a bar last night!
We met in Singapore
Meet
Collect in one place;
We assembled in the church basement
Let's gather in the dining room
Meet
Meet by design; be present at the arrival of;
Can you meet me at the train station?
Meet
Contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle;
Princeton plays Yale this weekend
Charlie likes to play Mary
Meet
Experience as a reaction;
My proposal met with much opposition
Meet
Be in direct physical contact with; make contact;
The two buildings touch
Their hands touched
The wire must not contact the metal cover
The surfaces contact at this point
Meet
Being precisely fitting and right;
It is only meet that she should be seated first
Common Curiosities
How is "find" used in a legal context?
In legal terms, "find" can refer to a decision made by a jury or judge, such as finding a verdict.
Can "meet" be used to refer to encountering non-humans?
Yes, "meet" can describe encountering animals, obstacles, or situations, not just people.
What does it mean to "find" something?
To find something means to locate or discover it, often after searching.
What does the phrase "find oneself" signify?
It refers to a process of self-discovery and coming to understand one’s true personality or desires.
How does the use of "meet" in technology differ from traditional meanings?
In technology, "meet" often refers to participating in digital or virtual meetings.
Is it correct to use "find" when referring to people?
Typically, "find" refers to discovering objects, but it can be used for people in a metaphorical sense, like finding a mentor.
Is "meet" always planned?
No, one can meet someone either by prior arrangement or coincidentally.
What is an example of "find" in a technological context?
Using a search function on a computer or smartphone to locate information.
How does "meet" relate to business contexts?
In business, "meet" often involves appointments, interviews, or gatherings for discussions or negotiations.
What does "meet one's match" mean?
It means to encounter someone who is equal in skill, ability, or qualities.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
