unexpected meetings

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "unexpected meetings" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe meetings that occur without prior notice or planning, often leading to surprising or unforeseen discussions. Example: "During my day at the conference, I had several unexpected meetings with industry leaders that opened up new opportunities."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

"So the best American food often surprises with unexpected meetings of tastes and textures".

The New York Times

"It's like being in a bunker, but at the same time it's possible to have unexpected meetings".

The New York Times - Style

Unexpected meetings with characters from his brighter past a colleague, a professor, a lover evoke the low-level catastrophes to which his daily life has devolved, and which are, it turns out, the subject of his art.

The New Yorker

After a series of unexpected meetings made me late getting home for several days, I called Peter and ordered him to find the Swedish meatball recipe in "Joy of Cooking" and use the ground meat in the refrigerator that was about to spoil.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Varoufakis said following his unexpected meeting with Lagarde that Greece "intends to meet all obligations to all its creditors, ad infinitum".

The Guardian

And he was fascinated by Ms. Tracey, whose character looked increasingly dazed by the mysterious feelings the unexpected meeting awakened.

The New York Times - Arts

The country's president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, arranged an unexpected meeting with military and political leaders late yesterday following Mubarak's departure.

The Guardian

But like any unexpected meeting with a wild creature, it left us enthralled long after its departure.

The Guardian

But the page is also turning social networking software designed to help friends stay in touch into an unexpected meeting ground for strangers.

The New York Times

That includes coffee-tea, a Hong Kong specialty that sounds awful but tastes wonderful, an unexpected meeting of two caffeine cultures mediated by thick hot milk.

The New York Times - Travel

Played downstage with loads of direct audience address, the show is set at the unexpected meeting point between Veronese society, suffragette activism and old-school pantomime.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "unexpected meetings" to add an element of surprise or unpredictability to your narrative. It suggests that something unplanned and potentially significant occurred.

Common error

Avoid using "unexpected meetings" in highly formal business or academic writing when more precise terms like "unscheduled appointments" or "ad hoc sessions" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "unexpected meetings" functions as a noun phrase, where 'unexpected' modifies 'meetings'. It describes gatherings that were not planned or anticipated. According to Ludwig, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

12%

Encyclopedias

6%

Less common in

Science

3%

Reference

2%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "unexpected meetings" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe unplanned gatherings, as confirmed by Ludwig. Its frequency is relatively rare, primarily appearing in News & Media contexts. While suitable for general use, consider more formal alternatives like "unscheduled appointments" in business or academic settings. The phrase conveys a sense of surprise and unpredictability, making it useful for adding intrigue to narratives. Be mindful of the register and context to ensure appropriate usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

surprise encounters

Focuses on the element of surprise in the meetings or encounters.

chance encounters

Emphasizes the accidental or coincidental nature of the meetings.

unplanned get-togethers

Highlights the lack of planning involved in the meetings.

impromptu gatherings

Stresses the spontaneous and informal character of the meetings.

serendipitous meetings

Highlights the fortunate or lucky aspect of the unexpected nature of the meetings.

fortuitous encounters

Focuses on the lucky or accidental nature of the meeting.

unforeseen conferences

Similar to "unexpected meetings", but uses more formal vocabulary.

sudden rendezvous

Emphasizes the quick and unplanned aspect of the meetings.

adhoc meetups

Uses a Latin term to describe meetings formed for a specific, immediate purpose.

spontaneous assemblies

Highlights the spontaneous nature and the act of people gathering together.

FAQs

How can I use "unexpected meetings" in a sentence?

You can use "unexpected meetings" to describe chance encounters or unplanned gatherings, such as, "During the conference, I had several "unexpected meetings" with industry leaders."

What is a more formal alternative to "unexpected meetings"?

For more formal settings, consider using phrases like "unscheduled appointments" or "ad hoc sessions".

Are "chance encounters" and "unexpected meetings" interchangeable?

While similar, "chance encounters" emphasizes the accidental nature of the meeting, whereas "unexpected meetings" simply highlights that the meeting was unplanned.

What does it mean to say that a meeting was "serendipitous"?

A "serendipitous meeting" implies that the unexpected meeting led to a fortunate or beneficial outcome.