never met before

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "never met before" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where two or more people have not previously encountered each other. Example: "When I saw her at the conference, I realized we had never met before, despite being in the same industry for years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"We've never met before!" Halberstam protested.

The New Yorker

A woman called Katie who I had never met before was holding my wounds closed.

Independent

"People I have never met before came in and loved on me and with me".

Independent

A couple hundred people you've never met before will be jealous for like 2 seconds lol.

TechCrunch

"People I'd never met before got in touch and offered to help," she said.

BBC

"It was really like a merger of two groups that had never met before," she says.

Science Magazine

We had never met before.

The New York Times - Magazine

The two men had never met before.

The New Yorker

"Talk to somebody you never met before".

The New York Times

There are people I've never met before.

The New York Times

Courtney and Kathleen had never met before.

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing events or situations where people are interacting for the first time, using "never met before" can highlight the novelty or potential challenges of the interaction.

Common error

Avoid using "never met before" when you mean you haven't seen someone recently. The phrase specifically indicates an initial encounter, not a lapse in contact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "never met before" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb, often indicating the novelty of an interaction or relationship. Ludwig's examples showcase its use in describing initial encounters in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

31%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "never met before" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to convey the absence of previous encounters. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and showcases examples from diverse sources such as news outlets, scientific publications, and wikis, highlighting its adaptability across various writing styles. While widely accepted, it's crucial to use it accurately to denote initial meetings rather than recent disconnections. The related phrases offer alternative ways to express the same concept, allowing writers to refine their language for specific contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

First time meeting

A more direct and simple way of expressing the same idea.

Just met

A shortened and more informal expression.

Not previously acquainted

Emphasizes the absence of prior familiarity.

Unfamiliar with each other

Stresses a lack of knowledge about the other person.

Hadn't been introduced

Focuses on the lack of a formal introduction.

Without previous introduction

Similar to 'hadn't been introduced', emphasizing the absence of a formal introduction.

Are newly acquainted

Highlights the beginning of an acquaintance.

Were strangers until now

Highlights their initial state of being unknown to each other.

No prior association

Focuses on the lack of a past connection.

Have not crossed paths before

Uses a metaphorical expression for not having encountered someone.

FAQs

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

You can use "never met before" to describe a first encounter, such as, "The two teams had "never met before" the project began."

What are some alternatives to saying "never met before"?

Alternatives include "first time meeting", "not previously acquainted", or "hadn't been introduced", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "never met before"?

Yes, "never met before" is grammatically correct and commonly used to indicate that two or more people have not previously encountered each other.

What's the difference between "never met before" and "haven't met in a while"?

"Never met before" describes the very first encounter, whereas "haven't met in a while" indicates that people have met previously but not recently.