meant to begin

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "meant to begin" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate an intention or purpose related to starting something. Example: "The meeting was meant to begin at 10 AM, but it was delayed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

This is not at all how this story was meant to begin.

The New York Times

The day the trial was meant to begin, one of the mechanics shot himself in the head.

The New York Times - Magazine

The second, into illegal activity, is meant to begin only when the police investigations and potential prosecutions are finished.

The New York Times

That meant, to begin with, that some entrepreneur would have to build networks of recharging spots, going country by country.

The New York Times - Magazine

The trustees of the State University of New York, for example, were meant to begin searching for a new chancellor after the previous one stepped down in June.

The New York Times

The Congress on Love and Sex with Robots was meant to begin on 16 November, but was deemed illegal days after Levy arrived from London.

The Guardian - Tech

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

It's never easy to say what you mean, or to know what you mean to begin with.

The New York Times

The kneejerk criticism of this kind of undertaking is correct, but also so obviously correct as to be somewhat banal: no, you can't measure happiness – indeed, we can't even agree on what it means to begin with.

The Guardian - Opinion

During my open hours as president at Drew University, students most frequently visited me not to ask for something for themselves but for money and means to begin volunteer programs for the public good.

Huffington Post

The availability of sequence data allows identification of proteins that are unique at different taxonomic levels, thus providing a means to begin to distinguish pathogenic from non-pathogenic species.

Plosone

Thus, the new NAP-A medium may be particularly useful as a means to begin to assess GI chronic infection with B. pseudomallei.

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "meant to begin" to clearly express an intended starting point or initiation of an event, process, or activity. Ensure the context provides clarity on who or what made the intention.

Common error

Avoid using "meant to began". The correct form is "meant to begin" because "to" is followed by the base form of the verb.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "meant to begin" functions as an infinitive phrase expressing intention or expectation for an action to start. Ludwig's examples demonstrate its use in indicating scheduled events or planned activities.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

30%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "meant to begin" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to denote an intended or scheduled start. Ludwig AI indicates it's applicable across various contexts, with a neutral tone suitable for news, science, and general communication. While alternatives like "intended to commence" exist for more formal scenarios, "meant to begin" remains a versatile and clear way to communicate planned initiations. Remembering to use the base form of the verb after "to" will help avoid common grammatical errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

intended to commence

Replaces "meant" with "intended" and "begin" with the more formal "commence".

due to commence

Indicates a scheduled or expected start time, using the more formal "commence".

supposed to start

Uses "supposed" instead of "meant", indicating an expectation rather than a firm intention.

set to initiate

Implies a fixed plan or arrangement for starting something, replaces begin with initiate.

scheduled to initiate

Replaces "meant" with "scheduled", implying a pre-arranged timetable, and "begin" with "initiate".

expected to get underway

Uses a more idiomatic expression, indicating the start of something.

planned to launch

Suggests a more formal or significant commencement.

poised to start

Suggests that something is ready and about to begin.

designed to kick off

Uses the informal phrasal verb "kick off" to suggest a beginning.

programmed to start

Implies a pre-defined starting point within a system or plan.

FAQs

How can I use "meant to begin" in a sentence?

You can use "meant to begin" to indicate the intended or scheduled start of something. For example: "The conference was "meant to begin" at 9 AM, but it was delayed."

What's a more formal way to say "meant to begin"?

A more formal alternative to "meant to begin" is "intended to commence". This phrasing is suitable for professional or academic contexts.

Is "supposed to begin" the same as "meant to begin"?

While similar, "supposed to begin" and "meant to begin" have slightly different nuances. "Supposed to begin" suggests an expectation, while "meant to begin" implies a plan or intention. For example "The meeting was "supposed to begin" at 2PM" suggests an expectation.

Can "meant to begin" be used in the past tense?

Yes, "meant to begin" can be used in the past tense. For example: "The project was "meant to begin" last month, but it was postponed."