Meet vs. Meet With — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Published on November 5, 2023
Meet" refers to encountering someone or something. "Meet with" emphasizes the purposeful arrangement of a gathering.
Difference Between Meet and Meet With
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Meet often signifies a chance encounter or the act of coming into contact. For example, you might meet someone unexpectedly on the street. On the other hand, when you meet with someone, it often implies a prearranged gathering or appointment.
Using meet can be broader and might not always require a face-to-face interaction. For instance, two rivers meet at a confluence. However, when you meet with someone, it specifically refers to having an interaction, typically face-to-face, and often for discussions or consultations.
The verb meet can stand on its own when discussing events or situations like, "Did you meet the deadline?" In contrast, meet with is more people-centric, as in, "Did you meet with the manager about the deadline?"
Both meet and meet with can imply discussions or conversations. However, using meet with often carries a hint of formality or intention behind the interaction. For instance, "I'll meet you there" versus "I'll meet with you there."
Comparison Chart
Type of Interaction
General encounter
Purposeful gathering
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Usage
Can be unplanned
Often implies arrangement
Objects
Can be with inanimate objects
Typically with people
Formality
Neutral
Slightly more formal
Implication
Just encounter
Implies discussion/consultation
Compare with Definitions
Meet
To come face to face with by chance.
I met a childhood friend at the market.
Meet With
To discuss or confer about a specific topic.
The council will meet with residents about the new park.
Meet
To fulfill or satisfy.
This solution meets our needs.
Meet With
To encounter or experience something, especially difficulties or opposition.
The proposal met with strong resistance.
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.
Meet With
To have a scheduled or planned meeting.
I will meet with the director tomorrow.
Meet
To come into the company of
I met my colleagues for a meeting.
Meet With
To have a particular reaction.
His announcement met with applause.
Meet
To be introduced to; make the acquaintance of
Have you met my wife?.
Meet With
To come together for consultation or deliberation.
The committee will meet with stakeholders.
Meet
To come together or confront in opposition
The rival teams meet next week.
Meet
To be present at the arrival of
Met the train.
Meet
To come into conjunction with; join or touch
Where the road meets the highway.
Meet
To come into conformity with the views, wishes, or opinions of
The firm has done its best to meet us on that point.
Meet
To come to the notice of (the senses)
There is more here than meets the eye.
Meet
To experience or undergo
He met his fate with courage. The project has met a setback.
Meet
To be sufficient for (a need, for example); fulfill
Meet all the conditions in the contract.
Meet
To deal or contend with effectively
We can meet each problem as it arises.
Meet
To pay; settle
Enough money to meet expenses.
Meet
To come together
Didn't recognize him when we met. Where should we meet for lunch?.
Meet
To come into conjunction; be joined
The two pipes meet in the corner.
Meet
To come together as opponents; contend
The team met with its rival.
Meet
To become introduced
Where did the two of you meet?.
Meet
To assemble
Protesters met in the square.
Meet
To occur together, especially in one person or entity
Suspense and intrigue meet in this new movie.
Meet
A meeting or contest, especially an athletic competition.
Meet
Fitting; proper
"It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place" (Shakespeare).
Meet
To make contact (with) while in proximity.
Meet
To come face to face with by accident; to encounter.
Fancy meeting you here! Guess who I met at the supermarket today?
Meet
To come face to face with someone by arrangement.
Let's meet at the station at 9 o'clock.
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!
Meet
(Of groups) To come together.
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.
Meet
To come together in conflict.
Meet
(sports) To play a match.
England and Holland will meet in the final.
Meet
To make physical or perceptual contact.
Meet
To converge and finally touch or intersect.
The two streets meet at a crossroad half a mile away.
Meet
To touch or hit something while moving.
The right wing of the car met the column in the garage, leaving a dent.
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.
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.
Meet
To satisfy; to comply with.
This proposal meets my requirements. The company agrees to meet the cost of any repairs.
Meet
(intransitive) To balance or come out correct.
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.
Meet
To be mixed with, to be combined with aspects of.
Meet
(sports) A sports competition, especially for track and field or swimming.
Track meet
Swim meet
Meet
(hunting) A gathering of riders, horses and hounds for foxhunting; a field meet for hunting.
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.
Meet
(informal) A meeting.
OK, let's arrange a meet with Tyler and ask him.
Meet
(algebra) The greatest lower bound, an operation between pairs of elements in a lattice, denoted by the symbol ∧.
Meet
(archaic) Suitable; right; proper.
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.
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.
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.
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
Meet
To come into contact or connection with.
The two roads meet in the center of town.
Meet
To convene for a particular purpose.
They meet every Tuesday for coffee.
Meet
To experience or undergo.
He met a terrible fate.
Common Curiosities
Does "meet" always imply a planned gathering?
No, "meet" can refer to both planned and unplanned encounters.
Which is more formal: "meet" or "meet with"?
"Meet with" can often sound more formal or intentional.
Does "meet with" suggest a more intentional meeting?
Yes, "meet with" often implies a purposeful or arranged meeting.
Can "meet" be used for inanimate objects?
Yes, e.g., "The rivers meet downstream."
Is "meet with" longer in duration than "meet"?
Not necessarily. Both can vary in duration.
Is "meet with" only for discussions between people?
Mostly, but it can also describe encountering situations, e.g., "The idea met with opposition."
Can "meet" imply fulfilling a requirement?
Yes, e.g., "The product meets the standards."
Can "meet with" imply consultation?
Yes, e.g., "She will meet with her advisor."
Can "meet with" refer to coming across non-human entities?
Yes, but it's often about situations or reactions, e.g., "The news met with surprise."
Does "meet with" always need an object?
Typically, yes. It's often followed by whom or what one is meeting with, e.g., "I'll meet with the team."
Can "meet with" mean experiencing a particular fate?
Yes, e.g., "He met with an accident."
Is "meet" more casual than "meet with"?
Generally, "meet" can sound more casual, but context matters.
Which one suggests a chance encounter more?
"Meet" is more likely to suggest a chance encounter.
Do "meet" and "meet with" have similar meanings in business contexts?
They can, but "meet with" often emphasizes a scheduled or planned interaction.
Can "meet" stand alone in a sentence?
Yes, e.g., "They meet at noon."
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Written 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.
