had brunch with

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had brunch with" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing a meal shared with someone, typically during the late morning or early afternoon. Example: "Yesterday, I had brunch with my friends at a new café downtown."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

Robyn Norwood of the Los Angeles Times had brunch with Bob Knight.

The New York Times

"It's like something just changed overnight," said Ms. Javian, who said she spoke to Ms. Fashano daily and was supposed to have had brunch with her on Saturday morning.

The New York Times

I got up early and fed my chickens – because I'm looking after chickens up here, which is about as un-Edinburgh festival as it gets – then had brunch with Jenny Eclair, Sarah Millican and Lucy Porter.

The Guardian

Last week, I had brunch with Ivanka, and we stared at each other blankly until, finally, she said, "When I made my speech, I just pretended I was talking about Hillary".

The New Yorker

After dragging myself out of my sickbed on Saturday, I had brunch with Tanya (prepping for her pitch meeting with Sony next week) and literary super-agent Eddie Genius (not his real surname but close).

The Guardian - Film

Despite the criticism, a few months later the Sarkozys flew to the US to holiday in a €22,000 (£17,000) a week luxury villa at Wolfeboro, where the president had brunch with his American US counterpart, George W Bush. Later, with third wife Carla Bruni, Sarkozy flew to Egypt in Bolloré's Falcon 900 private jet to stay in an apartment belonging to an Abu Dhabi sheikh.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

On weekends she'll visit museums, or have brunch with friends.

The New York Times

Hyde invited me to have brunch with him and his wife at his house in Cambridge.

The New York Times - Magazine

Ms. Collier was having brunch with several friends from her days at the Spence, the private school.

The New York Times

One Saturday after class, they were supposed to have brunch with a third teammate, who canceled at the last minute.

The New York Times

They spoke about getting together and having brunch with Judy, as she was going to be moving the next week.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had brunch with", ensure the context clearly indicates a meal taking place between breakfast and lunch. This avoids ambiguity and maintains clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "had brunch with" to describe meals outside the late morning to early afternoon window. If the meal occurs strictly at lunchtime, consider using "had lunch with" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had brunch with" functions as a verbal phrase indicating the action of sharing a brunch meal with someone. Ludwig examples confirm this usage across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Academia

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had brunch with" is grammatically correct and commonly used, primarily in News & Media contexts, to describe a social activity involving a meal between breakfast and lunch. Ludwig AI affirms the phrase's validity and offers various alternatives, such as "brunched with" or "shared brunch with", for stylistic variation. While generally neutral in register, it's important to ensure the context aligns with the typical timing of brunch to avoid ambiguity. This comprehensive analysis provides a clear understanding of how to effectively use "had brunch with" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

brunched with

A more concise, single-word verb form conveying the same action.

shared brunch with

Emphasizes the shared nature of the meal experience.

enjoyed brunch with

Highlights the pleasantness of the brunch experience.

took brunch with

Similar to "had brunch with" but slightly less common.

met for brunch with

Specifies the meeting's purpose was to have brunch.

dined at brunch with

More formal, suggesting a specific dining establishment.

broke bread with during brunch

A more metaphorical and possibly religious way to describe sharing a meal.

lunched with

Focuses on lunch, if the time was specifically noon.

grabbed a bite with during brunch

More casual, suggesting a quick and informal meal.

had a meal with

A general term that does not specify the type of meal.

FAQs

What does "had brunch with" mean?

The phrase "had brunch with" indicates that you shared a meal, specifically brunch, with someone. Brunch is a meal that combines breakfast and lunch, typically eaten in the late morning or early afternoon.

What can I say instead of "had brunch with"?

You can use alternatives like "brunched with", "shared brunch with", or "enjoyed brunch with" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "had a brunch with"?

While grammatically understandable, "had brunch with" is more common and natural than "had a brunch with". The indefinite article "a" is generally omitted when "brunch" refers to the meal in general, rather than a specific instance.

What's the difference between "had lunch with" and "had brunch with"?

"Had lunch with" refers to a meal eaten around midday. "Had brunch with" refers to a meal that combines breakfast and lunch, typically eaten later in the morning than a traditional breakfast but earlier than a typical lunch. The timing and type of food often distinguish the two.