never met

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "never met" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that you have not encountered or been introduced to someone before. Example: "I have never met her in person, but I've heard a lot about her."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I've never met them.

The New Yorker

I'd never met him.

The New Yorker

I never met him.

The New Yorker

We never met.

The New York Times - Books

We never met again.

The New Yorker

"We've never met.

The New York Times

I've never met him.

The New York Times - Arts

You've never met me".

The New Yorker

You never met?

The New York Times

They've never met.

The New York Times

Dylan never met him.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When emphasizing a formal introduction, consider alternatives like "have not been introduced" or "am unacquainted with".

Common error

Avoid using "never meet" when referring to a past event. "Never meet" implies a future or habitual action, whereas "never met" correctly indicates a past lack of meeting.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "never met" functions as a stative verb phrase, indicating a state of not having previously encountered someone. As demonstrated by the Ludwig examples, it commonly appears in sentences expressing a lack of acquaintance or relationship.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

93%

Science

7%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "never met" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression to indicate a lack of prior acquaintance. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is common in news and media, and it serves to establish a lack of familiarity between individuals. When writing, ensure you are using the correct tense ("never met" for past events). You can also consider more formal alternatives like "have not encountered" depending on your writing context. By considering these nuances, you can effectively communicate the absence of a prior meeting in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have not encountered

Replaces "met" with a more formal synonym, "encountered", emphasizing the lack of any type of meeting.

have not been introduced

Focuses specifically on the lack of a formal introduction.

am unacquainted with

A more formal way of saying that one does not know someone.

haven't crossed paths

Uses a metaphorical expression to indicate that two people have not met.

do not know personally

Emphasizes the lack of a personal relationship or acquaintance.

not previously acquainted

Highlights that there was no prior acquaintance.

not had the pleasure of meeting

A polite and somewhat formal way of saying that one has not met someone.

strangers to each other

Indicates that two people are not acquainted and have no prior relationship.

new to each other

Suggests a lack of familiarity due to not having met before.

not yet acquainted

Indicates that an acquaintance is expected, but has not happened yet.

FAQs

How can I use "never met" in a sentence?

You can use "never met" to indicate that you have not been introduced or encountered someone before. For example: "I have "never met" her, but I've heard a lot about her." or "They had "never met before" before the conference."

What's a more formal alternative to "never met"?

For more formal situations, you can use phrases like "have not encountered", "am unacquainted with", or "have not been introduced". For instance, instead of saying "I've "never met" him", you could say "I am unacquainted with him".

Is it correct to say "I never meet" instead of "I never met"?

No, "I never meet" has a different meaning. "I never meet" would imply a habitual action that does not happen. Whereas "I "never met"" implies that you didn't meet someone in the past.

What's the difference between "never met" and "haven't met"?

"Never met" and "haven't met" are often interchangeable, but "haven't met" can sometimes imply a more recent or ongoing situation. "Never met" is more general and timeless. You can also use "have not encountered" if you want to be more formal.