meet unexpectedly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "meet unexpectedly" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing a situation where two or more people encounter each other without prior arrangement or knowledge of the meeting. Example: "I was surprised to meet unexpectedly with my old friend at the coffee shop."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

As Jack in the Box's E coli outbreak showed, when undercooked burgers were served to meet unexpectedly high demand, the rush for speed permanently damaged children.

The Guardian

Buyers looking outside of town should be clear about their love of wildlife: they may meet unexpectedly not just with turkeys and deer, but also with black bears.

The New York Times - Travel

Macho Sam goes to his office, restless Dinah recounts a dream to her analyst, they meet unexpectedly in the city and duck out of having lunch together.

The Guardian - Music

Standardized clarifying questions were used, such as: - If the clothing, color of the hair of an individual familiar to you has changed or you meet unexpectedly in an unfamiliar place, would you be able to recognize him/her? - Do you generally recognize people on the basis of their style of walking, clothing, voice-/ speech rather than by their face?

BMC Psychiatry

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

One day, she wrote, after they were both married to others, they met unexpectedly at a delicatessen.

The New York Times - Sports

The two armies met unexpectedly at Cunaxa, on the left bank of the Euphrates River north of Babylon.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Hostile forces met unexpectedly at the important crossroads town of Gettysburg, in southern Pennsylvania, bringing on the greatest battle ever fought in the Western Hemisphere.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Iraq's troops captured the city of Khorramshahr but failed to take the important oil-refining centre of Ābādān, and by December 1980 the Iraqi offensive had bogged down about 50 75 miles (80 120 km) inside Iran after meeting unexpectedly strong Iranian resistance.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Reading Michael is like stepping out of an overheated apartment building to be met, unexpectedly, by an exhilaratingly chill gust of wind; reading Matthew is like taking a deep, warm bath with a glass of wine balanced on the soap dish.

The New Yorker

The Action of 13 March 1806 was a naval engagement of the Napoleonic Wars, fought when a British and a French squadron met unexpectedly in the mid-Atlantic.

Wikipedia

Ford dispatched Marines to rescue the crew, but the Marines landed on the wrong island and met unexpectedly stiff resistance just as, unknown to the U.S., the Mayaguez sailors were being released.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "meet unexpectedly" to emphasize the unplanned nature of an encounter, adding an element of surprise or chance to the narrative.

Common error

Avoid redundancy by not pairing "unexpectedly" with other adverbs that convey a similar meaning, such as "suddenly" or "surprisingly". Choose the most impactful word to maintain clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "meet unexpectedly" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb, indicating the manner in which the meeting occurred. Ludwig AI validates its correct usage, as confirmed by various examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Encyclopedias

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "meet unexpectedly" serves to highlight the unplanned nature of an encounter. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and appears in diverse contexts, including News & Media and encyclopedic entries. While not overly common, its usage is consistent. For alternative expressions, consider "encounter unexpectedly" or "run into", depending on the desired nuance. Avoid redundancy by not pairing "unexpectedly" with other adverbs like "suddenly". Overall, "meet unexpectedly" is a useful phrase for emphasizing the surprise element in an encounter.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

encounter unexpectedly

Replaces "meet" with "encounter", emphasizing the act of finding or facing something unexpectedly.

run into unexpectedly

Uses the phrasal verb "run into" to describe a casual, unplanned meeting.

bump into unexpectedly

Similar to "run into", "bump into" suggests a more chance encounter.

chance upon unexpectedly

Replaces "meet" with "chance upon", highlighting the element of luck or fortune in the encounter.

come across unexpectedly

Focuses on the finding or discovery aspect of the meeting.

stumble upon unexpectedly

Implies a more accidental or unintentional meeting.

cross paths unexpectedly

Emphasizes the convergence of two separate journeys or paths.

find oneself meeting unexpectedly

Adds a reflexive element, highlighting the subject's surprise at the meeting.

be unexpectedly confronted with

Shifts the focus to a more forceful or challenging encounter.

have an unforeseen encounter

Generalizes the meeting as an "encounter" and uses "unforeseen" for emphasis.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "meet unexpectedly" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "encounter unexpectedly" or "have an unforeseen encounter".

What's the difference between "meet unexpectedly" and "run into"?

"Meet unexpectedly" generally suggests a surprising encounter, while "run into" implies a more casual, chance meeting.

Is it redundant to say "meet unexpectedly by chance"?

Yes, saying "meet unexpectedly by chance" is redundant. The word "unexpectedly" already implies an element of chance.

Can "meet unexpectedly" be used for objects or situations, or only for people?

While primarily used for people, "meet unexpectedly" can also describe encountering unforeseen obstacles or situations. For example, "The project met unexpectedly stiff resistance".