meant to (be/do something)

idiom

: intended to (do or be something)

I was never meant to teach.

They knew as soon as they met that they were meant to be together.

I thought we could be friends, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be.

British : supposed to (be or do something)

The buses are meant to arrive every 15 minutes.

Brighton is meant to be very beautiful at this time of year.

Examples of meant to (be/do something) in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The 22-year-old was meant to be the Brazilian club’s marquee addition, a record purchase at €18million over the summer. —

Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025 The evidence for this is clear in the show’s makeup, where the team creates a key vibe we’re meant to pick up — often on just a few days’ notice. —

Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 5 Feb. 2025 The dog went through an initial quarantine period meant to prevent any potential diseases from spreading, and, eventually, meeting Amora. —

Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2025 His hyperbole was meant to distract, to dominate the news cycle, to control the conversation. —

Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for meant to (be/do something)

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“Meant to (be/do something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meant%20to%20%28be%2Fdo%20something%29. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.

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