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.

But per Tuck, Memory is meant to bring her back to life, and here the author stumbles. —

Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2025 They are not meant to be used instead of a laundry detergent, but in addition to it. —

Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Jan. 2025 There were some memory books that friends put together with photos and handwritten letters about what Geoff meant to them. —

Matt Donnelly, Variety, 12 Jan. 2025 Her voyage to space, as the scientists who worked with her knew, was only ever meant to be a one-way trip. —

Scott Travers, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for meant to (be/do something)

Cite this Entry

Style

“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 21 Jan. 2025.

Copy Citation