Meeting vs. Dialogue — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 1, 2023
A "Meeting" is a gathering of individuals for a specific purpose. A "Dialogue" is a conversation between two or more people.
Difference Between Meeting and Dialogue
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A "Meeting" commonly refers to an organized gathering or assembly of individuals. These individuals come together with a shared objective, be it professional, social, or otherwise. The term encompasses a range of contexts, from formal corporate settings to casual social get-togethers. On the other hand, "Dialogue" specifically denotes a form of communication, a conversation between two or more individuals. It signifies an exchange of ideas, thoughts, or opinions.
In the corporate world, "Meetings" are organized to discuss business objectives, make decisions, or share information. There's typically an agenda, a set list of topics to be addressed. Meanwhile, "Dialogue" in such settings represents the actual exchange that happens within those meetings. While a meeting may have presentations or silent attendees, dialogues are the segments where active discussions occur.
Furthermore, while "Meetings" can be unilateral, where one party predominantly speaks, "Dialogues" are inherently bilateral or multilateral. A town hall, for instance, can be a meeting where a leader addresses an audience. But when questions are posed and the leader responds, that's a dialogue.
Lastly, it's worth noting that all dialogues can happen outside of meetings. Friends can have a dialogue over coffee, devoid of any formal meeting structure. Conversely, not all meetings facilitate dialogues. Some meetings might be informational sessions where information is given without interactive discussions.
Comparison Chart
Primary Function
Organized gathering for a purpose.
Conversation between two or more people.
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Context
Can be formal or informal.
Refers to communication or discussion.
Number of Participants
Can be one-sided.
Inherently involves two or more parties.
Purpose
Decision-making, sharing information.
Exchange of ideas, thoughts, opinions.
Occurrence
Can occur without dialogue.
Can happen outside of meetings.
Compare with Definitions
Meeting
Meeting is an assembly of people for discussion or action.
The board called a meeting to discuss the company's financial situation.
Dialogue
Dialogue is a conversation between two or more persons.
The novel had a gripping dialogue that revealed the antagonist's motives.
Meeting
Meeting can refer to an encounter between people.
Their chance meeting at the coffee shop led to a deep friendship.
Dialogue
Dialogue signifies an exchange of ideas or opinions.
The leaders entered into a dialogue to resolve their differences.
Meeting
Meeting can be a pre-arranged gathering for a specific reason.
The marketing team has a weekly meeting.
Dialogue
Dialogue is a written conversational exchange in a book or play.
The dialogue in the script was witty and engaging.
Meeting
Meeting can indicate the point where two things join.
The meeting of the rivers created a beautiful delta.
Dialogue
Dialogue can be a means of resolving conflict.
Peace dialogues were initiated to end the war.
Meeting
Meeting is often structured with an agenda or plan.
The meeting started with the chairman's address.
Dialogue
Dialogue is often used to refer to discussions between nations or groups.
A dialogue between the two countries helped improve trade relations.
Meeting
A meeting is when two or more people come together to discuss one or more topics, often in a formal or business setting, but meetings also occur in a variety of other environments. Many various types of meetings exist.
Dialogue
Dialogue (sometimes spelled dialog in American English) is a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people, and a literary and theatrical form that depicts such an exchange. As a philosophical or didactic device, it is chiefly associated in the West with the Socratic dialogue as developed by Plato, but antecedents are also found in other traditions including Indian literature.
Meeting
The act or process or an instance of coming together; an encounter.
Dialogue
A conversation between two or more people.
Meeting
An assembly or gathering of people, as for a business, social, or religious purpose.
Dialogue
A discussion of positions or beliefs, especially between groups to resolve a disagreement.
Meeting
The act of persons or things that meet.
Meeting him will be exciting.
I enjoy meeting new people.
Dialogue
Conversation between characters in a drama or narrative.
Meeting
A gathering of persons for a purpose; an assembly.
We need to have a meeting about that soon.
Dialogue
The lines or passages in a script that are intended to be spoken.
Meeting
(collective) The people at such a gathering.
What has the meeting decided.
Dialogue
A literary work written in the form of a conversation
The dialogues of Plato.
Meeting
An encounter between people, even accidental.
They came together in a chance meeting on the way home from work.
Dialogue
(Music) A composition or passage for two or more parts, suggestive of conversational interplay.
Meeting
A place or instance of junction or intersection; a confluence.
Earthquakes occur at the meeting of tectonic plates.
Dialogue
To express as or in a dialogue
Dialogued parts of the story.
Meeting
A religious service held by a charismatic preacher in small towns in the United States.
Dialogue
To engage in a dialogue.
Meeting
(Quakerism) An administrative unit in the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).
Denver meeting is a part of Intermountain yearly meeting.
Dialogue
A conversation or other form of discourse between two or more individuals.
Bill and Melinda maintained a dialogue via email over the course of their long-distance relationship.
Start up a dialogue
Meeting
Present participle of meet
Dialogue
(authorship) In a dramatic or literary presentation, the verbal parts of the script or text; the verbalizations of the actors or characters.
The movie had great special effects, but the dialogue was lackluster.
Meeting
A coming together; an assembling; as, the meeting of Congress.
Dialogue
(philosophy) A literary form, where the presentation resembles a conversation.
A literary historian, she specialized in the dialogues of ancient Greek philosophers.
Meeting
A junction, crossing, or union; as, the meeting of the roads or of two rivers.
Dialogue
(computing) A dialogue box.
Once the My Computer dialogue opens, select Local Disk (C:), then right click and scroll down.
Meeting
A congregation; a collection of people; a convention; as, a large meeting; an harmonious meeting.
Dialogue
To discuss or negotiate so that all parties can reach an understanding.
Pearson wanted to dialogue with his overseas counterparts about the new reporting requirements.
Meeting
An assembly for worship; as, to attend meeting on Sunday; - in England, applied distinctively and disparagingly to the worshiping assemblies of Dissenters.
Dialogue
(transitive) To put into dialogue form.
Meeting
A formally arranged gathering;
Next year the meeting will be in Chicago
The meeting elected a chairperson
Dialogue
(obsolete) To take part in a dialogue; to dialogize.
Meeting
The social act of assembling for some common purpose;
His meeting with the salesmen was the high point of his day
Dialogue
A conversation between two or more persons; particularly, a formal conservation in theatrical performances or in scholastic exercises.
Meeting
A small informal social gathering;
There was an informal meeting in my livingroom
Dialogue
A written composition in which two or more persons are represented as conversing or reasoning on some topic; as, the Dialogues of Plato.
Meeting
A casual or unexpected convergence;
He still remembers their meeting in Paris
There was a brief encounter in the hallway
Dialogue
To take part in a dialogue; to dialogize.
Meeting
The act of joining together as one;
The merging of the two groups occurred quickly
There was no meeting of minds
Dialogue
To express as in dialogue.
And dialogued for him what he would say.
Meeting
A place where things merge or flow together (especially rivers);
Pittsburgh is located at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers
Dialogue
A conversation between two persons
Dialogue
The lines spoken by characters in drama or fiction
Dialogue
A literary composition in the form of a conversation between two people;
He has read Plato's Dialogues in the original Greek
Dialogue
A discussion intended to produce an agreement;
The buyout negotiation lasted several days
They disagreed but kept an open dialogue
Talks between Israelis and Palestinians
Common Curiosities
Can meetings occur without dialogues?
Yes, meetings can be one-sided presentations without interactive discussions.
Why are meetings important in business?
Meetings help in decision-making, information-sharing, and collaboration.
Is a debate a form of dialogue?
Yes, a debate is a structured form of dialogue where participants discuss opposing views.
How is dialogue different from monologue?
While dialogue is a conversation between two or more people, a monologue is a long speech by one person.
What's the main difference between a meeting and dialogue?
A meeting is an organized gathering, while dialogue refers to a conversation.
Can a meeting have only one person?
Typically, a meeting involves two or more individuals, but in some contexts, a "meeting" might mean a scheduled time of reflection or work.
Can a dialogue happen within a meeting?
Yes, dialogues are often part of meetings, representing the conversational exchanges.
What is a dialogue in literature?
In literature, a dialogue represents the written conversational exchange between characters.
How can one make meetings more effective?
Effective meetings have clear agendas, defined objectives, time limits, and active participation.
Can a dialogue be between more than two people?
Yes, dialogues can involve multiple participants, not just two.
Can dialogues help in conflict resolution?
Yes, open and constructive dialogues can help resolve misunderstandings and conflicts.
Is a conversation the same as a dialogue?
While they are similar, "dialogue" often implies a more structured or purposeful conversation.
Are all meetings formal?
No, meetings can range from formal business discussions to informal social gatherings.
What is a virtual meeting?
A virtual meeting is conducted over the internet using video conferencing tools.
What's the importance of dialogue in plays?
Dialogues convey character interactions, drive the plot, and reveal character motivations in plays.
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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.
