Meets vs. Meet — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 8, 2024
"Meets" is the third person singular present form of "meet," used with he, she, or it, while "meet" serves as the base form and is used with I, you, we, and they.
Difference Between Meets and Meet
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Key Differences
"Meet" acts as the base form of the verb, applicable in present tense situations involving the first person singular and plural (I, we), second person singular and plural (you), and third person plural (they). For instance, in the sentence "We meet at noon," "meet" is used with the subject "we." On the other hand, "meets" is specifically used in the third person singular present tense, such as with he, she, or it. An example of this usage is, "She meets with her team every Monday."
When forming the negative or asking questions, "meet" adjusts to fit the standard English syntax, without altering its form. For example, "Do you meet your friends often?" Here, "meet" remains unchanged in the question format. Conversely, "meets" retains its form when used with its specific subjects, even in questions or negatives. As in, "Does he meets his advisor regularly?" the verb form "meets" is incorrect; the correct form is "Does he meet his advisor regularly?"
In the imperative form, "meet" is used regardless of the subject, emphasizing the base form's versatility. For instance, "Meet me at the cafe." This usage showcases the directive or request nature inherent to the imperative mood, where "meet" is universally applied. Whereas "meets" has no role in imperative constructions, underscoring its limited use compared to the more flexible base form.
The base form "meet" also serves as a foundation for constructing other verb tenses and forms, such as the past ("met") and the present participle ("meeting"). This adaptability makes "meet" essential for various grammatical structures. In contrast, "meets" is restricted to a specific present tense usage, highlighting the fixed nature of third person singular present forms in English verb conjugation.
Regarding auxiliary verbs, "meet" pairs with them to form different tenses or voices, demonstrating its broad utility in English. For example, "will meet" or "have met" illustrate how "meet" integrates into compound tenses. "Meets," due to its specific tense and subject agreement, does not commonly combine with auxiliary verbs in this manner, reaffirming its singular, present tense application.
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Comparison Chart
Form
Third person singular present form
Base form of the verb
Usage with Subject
He, she, it
I, you, we, they
Question Form
Does he/she/it meet?
Do I/we/you/they meet?
Negative Form
Does not meet (doesn't meet)
Do not meet (don't meet)
Imperative Form
Not applicable
Meet (e.g., "Meet me at 8.")
Auxiliary Usage
Rarely used with auxiliaries due to tense specificity
Can be used with auxiliaries in various tenses
Compare with Definitions
Meets
Implies a regular or repeated action in the present.
He meets his quota every month.
Meet
To face or encounter.
You will meet many challenges in life.
Meets
Denotes the act of fulfilling or satisfying criteria.
This software meets all our needs.
Meet
To come into the presence or company of someone by chance or arrangement.
I meet my friends for coffee on Sundays.
Meets
Refers to the convergence or joining at a point.
The path meets the road near the old oak tree.
Meet
To come together for a common purpose.
We meet in the conference room at ten.
Meets
Suggests facing or encountering in the present tense.
It meets the criteria for approval.
Meet
To fulfill or satisfy.
This plan meets our requirements.
Meets
Third person singular present of "meet," referring to a scheduled encounter.
She meets her colleagues every week.
Meet
To converge or touch.
The two rivers meet a few miles downstream.
Meets
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
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.
Meets
To come into the company of
I met my colleagues for a meeting.
Meet
To come into the company of
I met my colleagues for a meeting.
Meets
To be introduced to; make the acquaintance of
Have you met my wife?.
Meet
To be introduced to; make the acquaintance of
Have you met my wife?.
Meets
To come together or confront in opposition
The rival teams meet next week.
Meet
To come together or confront in opposition
The rival teams meet next week.
Meets
To be present at the arrival of
Met the train.
Meet
To be present at the arrival of
Met the train.
Meets
To come into conjunction with; join or touch
Where the road meets the highway.
Meet
To come into conjunction with; join or touch
Where the road meets the highway.
Meets
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 into conformity with the views, wishes, or opinions of
The firm has done its best to meet us on that point.
Meets
To come to the notice of (the senses)
There is more here than meets the eye.
Meet
To come to the notice of (the senses)
There is more here than meets the eye.
Meets
To experience or undergo
He met his fate with courage. The project has met a setback.
Meet
To experience or undergo
He met his fate with courage. The project has met a setback.
Meets
To be sufficient for (a need, for example); fulfill
Meet all the conditions in the contract.
Meet
To be sufficient for (a need, for example); fulfill
Meet all the conditions in the contract.
Meets
To deal or contend with effectively
We can meet each problem as it arises.
Meet
To deal or contend with effectively
We can meet each problem as it arises.
Meets
To pay; settle
Enough money to meet expenses.
Meet
To pay; settle
Enough money to meet expenses.
Meets
To come together
Didn't recognize him when we met. Where should we meet for lunch?.
Meet
To come together
Didn't recognize him when we met. Where should we meet for lunch?.
Meets
To come into conjunction; be joined
The two pipes meet in the corner.
Meet
To come into conjunction; be joined
The two pipes meet in the corner.
Meets
To come together as opponents; contend
The team met with its rival.
Meet
To come together as opponents; contend
The team met with its rival.
Meets
To become introduced
Where did the two of you meet?.
Meet
To become introduced
Where did the two of you meet?.
Meets
To assemble
Protesters met in the square.
Meet
To assemble
Protesters met in the square.
Meets
To occur together, especially in one person or entity
Suspense and intrigue meet in this new movie.
Meet
To occur together, especially in one person or entity
Suspense and intrigue meet in this new movie.
Meets
A meeting or contest, especially an athletic competition.
Meet
A meeting or contest, especially an athletic competition.
Meets
Plural of meet
Meet
Fitting; proper
"It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place" (Shakespeare).
Meets
Forming a combination or nexus of.
The taste of an eggplant could be described as pepper meets tomato.
The concept of the movie was Fantastic Voyage meets The Devil Wears Prada.
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
Common Curiosities
Can "meet" and "meets" be used interchangeably?
No, they cannot. The choice between them depends on the subject and tense of the sentence.
When do you use "meets"?
"Meets" is used with third person singular subjects (he, she, it) in the present tense.
Is there an imperative form of "meets"?
No, the imperative form only uses "meet."
Is "meet" used in questions?
Yes, "meet" is used in questions with all subjects except third person singular present, where "meet" becomes "meet" after "does."
Can "meet" be used with first person singular subjects?
Yes, "meet" is used with first person singular, as in "I meet."
What is the base form of "meet"?
The base form is "meet," used for most subjects except third person singular in the present tense.
How does the negative form differ between "meet" and "meets"?
The negative form is "do not meet" for "meet" and "does not meet" for "meets."
What is an example of "meet" in a sentence?
"We meet at the library every Monday."
Can "meets" be used for plural subjects?
No, "meets" is only used with singular third person subjects in the present tense.
What scenarios require the use of "meets"?
"Meets" is used when referring to a third person singular subject's actions in the present.
Can the form "meet" be used for future plans?
Yes, "meet" can be used for future plans, especially with auxiliary verbs like "will" or "going to."
How do auxiliary verbs affect "meet" and "meets"?
"Meet" can combine with auxiliary verbs to form various tenses, while "meets" rarely does due to its tense specificity.
What is a common mistake when using "meet" and "meets"?
A common mistake is using "meets" with plural subjects or in the wrong tense.
What does "meet" imply in terms of action?
"Meet" implies coming into contact or gathering with someone or something.
How does context change the use of "meet" and "meets"?
The context, including the subject and tense, determines whether "meet" or "meets" is appropriate.
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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.
