should have met

USAGE SUMMARY

"should have met" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it as a way of expressing regret that a past meeting did not happen. For example, you might say, "I wish I should have met you before now."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

49 human-written examples

Dorothy Koomson should have met Iain Banks.

Independent

He should have met Heston Blumenthal.

The New York Times - Food

He should have met me when I was 15.

The New York Times

Possibly Timman should have met 23 Rc5 by either 23..

The New York Times

"There are people who never should have met".

The New York Times

They should have met at the MGM in Las Vegas in November 2009.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

11 human-written examples

And MacAskill should not have met Megrahi in person.

The Guardian

Some on the fascist left might say I should never have met him," he adds, addressing this week's controversy, "but if I hadn't, my education would have been the poorer.

The Guardian

"He should not have met with Fort Lee without approval".

Los Angeles Times

Should Donald Trump Jr. have met with an attorney associated with the Russian government?

Vice

I can relate to people who voted no, but I think the point was that the referendum shouldn't have met the threshold that would have validated it," he told me.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "should have met" to express regret or a sense of missed opportunity regarding a past event. For example, "They should have met to resolve their differences before the situation escalated."

Common error

Avoid using "should have met" when referring to a future event. "Should have" refers to something that was possible in the past but did not happen. For future events, use "should meet" or "should be meeting."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "should have met" functions as a modal perfect construction expressing past possibility or obligation that was not fulfilled. It indicates regret, a missed opportunity, or a suggestion that a meeting would have been beneficial.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Academia

22%

Science

11%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "should have met" is a common and grammatically sound construction used to express regret, missed opportunities, or a suggestion that a meeting in the past would have been beneficial. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a valid way to express a missed opportunity, particularly when you wish to highlight an alternative action. Examples across diverse sources, including news media, academic papers, and scientific publications, confirm its widespread applicability. When using this phrase, be mindful of its implication of regret or missed potential, and avoid using it in reference to future events.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ought to have met

Uses "ought to" instead of "should have", expressing a similar sense of obligation or expectation in the past.

it would have been good to meet

Emphasizes the positive outcome that would have resulted from the meeting.

it's a pity they didn't meet

Expresses regret that the meeting did not occur.

they missed the chance to meet

Focuses on the lost opportunity for a meeting.

it was unfortunate that they didn't meet

Highlights the unfortunate nature of the missed meeting.

they were destined not to meet

Suggests that the failure to meet was predetermined or unavoidable.

fate prevented them from meeting

Attributes the missed meeting to the workings of fate or destiny.

circumstances kept them apart

Emphasizes the external factors that prevented the meeting.

it never came to pass that they met

Uses a more formal and literary tone to express that the meeting never happened.

destiny kept them from meeting

attributes the lack of meeting to destiny

FAQs

How can I use "should have met" in a sentence?

Use "should have met" to express regret that a meeting did not occur, implying it would have been beneficial. Example: "They "ought to have met" to discuss the project before the deadline."

What does "should have met" imply about a situation?

It implies that a past meeting was advisable or necessary, and its absence has led to a negative consequence or a missed opportunity. Consider the context: "If they "would have met", the misunderstanding could have been avoided."

What are some alternatives to "should have met"?

Alternatives include phrases such as ""ought to have met"", "it would have been good to meet", or "it's a pity they didn't meet", which all express a similar sense of regret or missed opportunity.

Is "should have met" formal or informal?

"Should have met" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its appropriateness depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and tone than the phrase itself. It is common in news, academic writing, and everyday conversation.