difference between meet, 'meet with' and 'meet up with'

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi,

I might have an idea as to the differences between the following verbs and it would be great if you could share yours:

  • meet somebody (For example: I’ll meet you tomorrow at the cafeteria.)
  • meet with somebody
  • meet up with somebody

Thanks a lot,
Torsten[YSaerTTEW443543]

TOEFL listening discussions: A conversation between a university student and an adviser in the university’s work-study program[YSaerTTEW443543]

2

Torsten,
Good question! Not sure if it’s right but to me, meet somebody is to see or to get together with that person. Meet with, to me means you have a meeting with the person. To meet up with means that you run into the person by accident (unplanned).

3

Hello Torsten,

Somehow I feel “meet up” has a sense of gathering up and has to have a venue. It can be anywhere, in a coffeeshop or on the net.

Just my two cents.

Nina

4

This is such an interesting topic.
I remember asking my teacher about “meet with sb”, and he said it’s the journal lingo. What do you think?
(I have no idea about “meet up with sb”)

Hope to hear some native speakers’ ideas :
Many thanks in advance.
Nessie.

5

I just want to quote a line from a song by the Offspring:
…Then I meet up with my friends
(we) head out to the game again (football game)
we don’t really give a sh*t who’ll win, win, one two three…

Maybe, meet up with has the idea of gathering together with intent to go out somewhere…

6

.
‘Meet with somebody’ suggests more than just a moment. It suggests a period of time.

  • We met with them yesterday for 5 hours in order to try to iron out all the problems. It took ages to address everything.

    ‘Meet somebody’ does not refer to a period of time, but rather to a point in time. It is generally the moment at the beginning of an encounter. It can be used to refer to (1) the moment you are introduced to someone, or it can be used to refer to (2) the (usually pre-arranged) details of the time and/or place that you and someone else come together:

  • I was quite surprised when finally I met him because I’d expected him to be much older.

  • I’ll meet you at 7 pm sharp in front of the theater.

‘Meet up (with somebody)’ does not refer to a period of time, but rather to a point in time. It is similar to (2) above, but sounds a little more informal than using ‘meet somebody’. I’d say it can be used when the encounter is less formally planned, or more impromptu/indefinite than (2) above.

  • Hey, let’s meet up next time you’re in Dallas.

That’s my take.
.

7

Hi there,

I agree that you use ‘meet up’ in a more informal context, but I’d say that you do use it when the meeting is planned. Please compare a planned meeting

I met up with this girl last night after we’d arranged time and place.

to an accidental occasion

I met this girl the other day as I walked down the street.

BTW, does anyone know this sailing song?

8

Hi,

‘Meet up with’ ‘Meet with’ are both unnecessarily elaborate ways of saying ‘meet’. If you want to make ‘meet’ sound formal, it’s simpler to say: have a meeting with …’

Alan

9

I respect you for emphatically taking unequivocal stands, Alan.

10

“Meet with” and “meet up with” are useful, as they do not have the ambiguity of “meet” (i.e. “encounter” vs “meet for the first time” vs “have a meeting with”).

“Meet up with” (for me) suggests a gathering for social purposes, whereas “meet with” suggests a meeting for e.g. business purposes; the former can be used for the latter, but the latter might sound strange in place of the former.

I have heard objections to “meet with” from BrE speakers, on the grounds that it’s a US usage; but it can be found in Jacobean English, e.g.

  1. And thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.

MrP