Join vs. Meet — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 5, 2024
Joining involves becoming a part of a group or activity, emphasizing the action of inclusion; meeting refers to coming together with someone for a discussion or activity, focusing on the encounter.
Difference Between Join and Meet
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Joining is the act of becoming a member or part of something, such as a group, organization, or activity. It implies a sense of integration and participation within a collective. On the other hand, meeting involves two or more people coming together to engage in a discussion, activity, or event. It emphasizes the act of gathering and interaction rather than the ongoing membership or participation that joining implies.
While joining often requires a commitment or agreement to be part of a group with a common purpose or interest, meeting can be a one-time occurrence, scheduled or spontaneous, without the implication of ongoing engagement. For instance, one might join a club to regularly participate in its activities, whereas a meeting might occur to discuss specific matters or events without further obligations.
The process of joining usually involves some form of acceptance or initiation, such as registering, paying dues, or being accepted by current members. This contrasts with meeting, where the primary requirement is mutual agreement on time and place, with the purpose ranging from social interaction to business discussions.
Joining is often a deliberate choice to affiliate with a group for personal, professional, or recreational reasons, signifying a longer-term engagement or association. Meeting, however, is more about the exchange of ideas, making decisions, or socializing, which doesn't inherently include becoming part of an ongoing group or activity.
Despite these differences, both joining and meeting are crucial for building relationships and networks. Joining allows individuals to become part of communities or groups that align with their interests or goals, while meetings facilitate communication, collaboration, and decision-making among individuals or within groups.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Becoming a member or part of a group or activity.
Coming together with others for discussion or activity.
Implication
Implies integration and ongoing participation.
Focuses on the act of gathering, can be a one-time event.
Requirement
May involve acceptance, registration, or dues.
Primarily requires agreement on time and place.
Purpose
Affiliation with a group for a common interest.
Exchange of ideas, decisions, or socializing.
Duration
Signifies longer-term engagement or association.
Can be scheduled or spontaneous, without long-term commitment.
Compare with Definitions
Join
Becoming a member of a group or organization.
She decided to join the local book club to meet other readers.
Meet
An encounter or appointment between people.
They had a chance meeting in the park and caught up on old times.
Join
Integrating with a group for a shared purpose.
After moving, he joined the community garden to connect with neighbors.
Meet
Coming together to exchange ideas or information.
They arranged a meeting to brainstorm new marketing strategies.
Join
Entering into an activity or cause.
They joined the marathon to support charity.
Meet
A gathering of individuals for a specific purpose.
The team scheduled a meeting to discuss the project's progress.
Join
Committing to participate in a group's activities.
Joining the committee requires a commitment to attend monthly meetings.
Meet
Organizing a time and place for discussion.
The board holds a regular meeting every quarter to review financials.
Join
Associating with a group or cause.
She joined the campaign to raise awareness about environmental issues.
Meet
A planned interaction between parties.
The job candidate had a meeting with the hiring manager.
Join
Link; connect
The tap was joined to a pipe
Join the paragraphs together
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.
Join
A place or line where two or more things are connected or fastened together
It was soldered so well that you couldn't see the join
Meet
To come into the company of
I met my colleagues for a meeting.
Join
To put or bring together so as to make continuous or form a unit
Join two boards with nails.
Joined hands in a circle.
Meet
To be introduced to; make the acquaintance of
Have you met my wife?.
Join
To put or bring into close association or relationship
Two families that were joined by marriage.
Join forces.
Meet
To come together or confront in opposition
The rival teams meet next week.
Join
To connect (points), as with a straight line.
Meet
To be present at the arrival of
Met the train.
Join
To meet and merge with
Where the creek joins the river.
Meet
To come into conjunction with; join or touch
Where the road meets the highway.
Join
To become a part or member of
Joined the photography club.
Meet
To come into conformity with the views, wishes, or opinions of
The firm has done its best to meet us on that point.
Join
To come into the company of
Joined the group in the waiting room.
Meet
To come to the notice of (the senses)
There is more here than meets the eye.
Join
To participate with in an act or activity
The committee joins me in welcoming you.
Meet
To experience or undergo
He met his fate with courage. The project has met a setback.
Join
To adjoin
Where the garage joins the house.
Meet
To be sufficient for (a need, for example); fulfill
Meet all the conditions in the contract.
Join
To engage in; enter into
Opposing armies joined battle on the plain.
Meet
To deal or contend with effectively
We can meet each problem as it arises.
Join
To come together so as to form a connection
Where the two bones join.
Meet
To pay; settle
Enough money to meet expenses.
Join
To act together; form an alliance
The two factions joined to oppose the measure.
Meet
To come together
Didn't recognize him when we met. Where should we meet for lunch?.
Join
To become a member of a group.
Meet
To come into conjunction; be joined
The two pipes meet in the corner.
Join
To take part; participate
Joined in the search.
Meet
To come together as opponents; contend
The team met with its rival.
Join
A joint; a junction.
Meet
To become introduced
Where did the two of you meet?.
Join
An intersection of piping or wiring; an interconnect.
Meet
To assemble
Protesters met in the square.
Join
An intersection of data in two or more database tables.
Meet
To occur together, especially in one person or entity
Suspense and intrigue meet in this new movie.
Join
(computing) The act of joining something, such as a network.
Meet
A meeting or contest, especially an athletic competition.
Join
(algebra) The lowest upper bound, an operation between pairs of elements in a lattice, denoted by the symbol ∨.
Meet
Fitting; proper
"It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place" (Shakespeare).
Join
(transitive) To connect or combine into one; to put together.
The plumber joined the two ends of the broken pipe.
We joined our efforts to get an even better result.
Meet
To make contact (with) while in proximity.
Join
(intransitive) To come together; to meet.
Parallel lines never join.
These two rivers join in about 80 miles.
Meet
To come face to face with by accident; to encounter.
Fancy meeting you here! Guess who I met at the supermarket today?
Join
(intransitive) To enter into association or alliance, to unite in a common purpose.
Meet
To come face to face with someone by arrangement.
Let's meet at the station at 9 o'clock.
Join
(transitive) To come into the company of.
I will join you watching the football game as soon as I have finished 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!
Join
(transitive) To become a member of.
Many children join a sports club.
Most politicians have joined a party.
Meet
(Of groups) To come together.
Join
To produce an intersection of data in two or more database tables.
By joining the Customer table on the Product table, we can show each customer's name alongside the products they have ordered.
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.
Join
To unite in marriage.
Meet
To come together in conflict.
Join
To enjoin upon; to command.
Meet
(sports) To play a match.
England and Holland will meet in the final.
Join
To accept, or engage in, as a contest.
To join encounter, battle, or issue
Meet
To make physical or perceptual contact.
Join
To bring together, literally or figuratively; to place in contact; to connect; to couple; to unite; to combine; to associate; to add; to append.
Woe unto them that join house to house.
Held up his left hand, which did flame and burnLike twenty torches joined.
Thy tuneful voice with numbers join.
Meet
To converge and finally touch or intersect.
The two streets meet at a crossroad half a mile away.
Join
To associate one's self to; to be or become connected with; to league one's self with; to unite with; as, to join a party; to join the church.
We jointly now to join no other head.
Meet
To touch or hit something while moving.
The right wing of the car met the column in the garage, leaving a dent.
Join
To unite in marriage.
He that joineth his virgin in matrimony.
What, therefore, God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
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.
Join
To enjoin upon; to command.
They join them penance, as they call it.
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.
Join
To accept, or engage in, as a contest; as, to join encounter, battle, issue.
Meet
To satisfy; to comply with.
This proposal meets my requirements. The company agrees to meet the cost of any repairs.
Join
To meet with and accompany; as, we joined them at the restaurant.
Meet
(intransitive) To balance or come out correct.
Join
To combine with (another person) in performing some activity; as, join me in welcoming our new president.
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.
Join
To be contiguous, close, or in contact; to come together; to unite; to mingle; to form a union; as, the bones of the skull join; two rivers join.
Whose house joined hard to the synagogue.
Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations?
Nature and fortune joined to make thee great.
Meet
To be mixed with, to be combined with aspects of.
Join
The line joining two points; the point common to two intersecting lines.
Meet
(sports) A sports competition, especially for track and field or swimming.
Track meet
Swim meet
Join
The place or part where objects have been joined; a joint; a seam.
Meet
(hunting) A gathering of riders, horses and hounds for foxhunting; a field meet for hunting.
Join
The combining of multiple tables to answer a query in a relational database system.
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.
Join
The shape or manner in which things come together and a connection is made
Meet
(informal) A meeting.
OK, let's arrange a meet with Tyler and ask him.
Join
A set containing all and only the members of two or more given sets;
Let C be the union of the sets A and B
Meet
(algebra) The greatest lower bound, an operation between pairs of elements in a lattice, denoted by the symbol ∧.
Join
Become part of; become a member of a group or organization;
He joined the Communist Party as a young man
Meet
(archaic) Suitable; right; proper.
Join
Cause to become joined or linked;
Join these two parts so that they fit together
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.
Join
Come into the company of;
She joined him for a drink
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.
Join
Make contact or come together;
The two roads join here
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.
Join
Be or become joined or united or linked;
The two streets connect to become a highway
Our paths joined
The travelers linked up again at the airport
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.
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.
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 !
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.
Meet
To assemble together; to congregate; as, Congress meets on the first Monday of December.
They . . . appointed a day to meet together.
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.
Meet
An assembling together; esp., the assembling of huntsmen for the hunt; also, the persons who so assemble, and the place of meeting.
Meet
Suitable; fit; proper; appropriate; qualified; convenient.
It was meet that we should make merry.
Meet
Meetly.
Meet
A meeting at which a number of athletic contests are held
Meet
Come together;
I'll probably see you at the meeting
How nice to see you again!
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
Undergo or suffer;
Meet a violent death
Suffer a terrible fate
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
Can a meeting lead to joining?
Yes, attending meetings can sometimes lead to joining the respective group or organization if one decides to become more involved.
Is joining more of a commitment than meeting?
Generally, yes. Joining implies a longer-term engagement or association, while meeting can be a one-time or recurring event without long-term commitments.
What is the purpose of a meeting?
The purpose can range from exchanging ideas, making decisions, to socializing, depending on the context.
Is it possible to meet without joining?
Yes, one can meet with others for discussions or activities without committing to join the group or organization.
Can you join a meeting?
Yes, you can join a meeting by participating in a scheduled gathering, but this involves the act of meeting rather than becoming a member of a group.
What are the requirements to join a group?
Requirements can vary, including registration, dues, or acceptance by current members, depending on the organization.
How does one find meetings to join?
Meetings can be found through community boards, organizational websites, social media, or personal networks.
How can you contribute to a meeting if you are not a member?
Contributing can include providing expertise, sharing insights, or participating in discussions, depending on the meeting's openness to non-members.
What is the main difference between joining and meeting?
Joining involves becoming part of a group or activity, while meeting refers to coming together for discussion or activity.
Do you need to be a member to attend a meeting?
Not always; it depends on the context and purpose of the meeting. Some meetings are open to all, while others may require membership.
Why do people join clubs or organizations?
People join for various reasons, including shared interests, professional networking, community involvement, or personal growth.
Can you leave a group after joining?
Yes, membership in most groups is voluntary, and one can choose to leave if they no longer wish to be part of it.
What is the difference between an online meeting and joining an online community?
An online meeting is a virtual gathering for a specific purpose, while joining an online community involves becoming part of a digital group with shared interests or goals.
What makes a successful meeting?
A successful meeting typically involves clear objectives, productive discussions, and actionable outcomes.
What are the benefits of joining a group?
Benefits include community, shared interests, access to resources, and opportunities for participation in activities or causes.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
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.
