upon first meeting

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "upon first meeting" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the initial encounter or introduction between people. Example: "Upon first meeting her, I was struck by her confidence and poise."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

The general reaction upon first meeting Miller, many players would say, was disbelief.

The New York Times - Sports

Lloyd Richards, a former dean at Yale, recalls noting her "strength, commitment and determination" upon first meeting her.

The New York Times

Ms. Braverman suggests using word-of-mouth referrals, and, upon first meeting a therapist, relying on your instincts.

The New York Times

Ms. Yanowsky's Marguerite is world weary, interestingly stricken upon first meeting Armand, as if realizing the vulnerability that falling in love will bring.

The New York Times - Arts

One easy change, she said, would be to improve the kinds of questions that pediatricians ask families upon first meeting them, particularly in the hospital.

The New Yorker

The opening pages of "A Happy Marriage" are a wonderful depiction of the sheer electricity that can occur upon first meeting the person one is destined to love.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

Upon his first meeting with Eric Schmitt, a Times reporter who worked closely with him, Assange looked, Schmitt said, "like a bag lady walking in off the street" and "smelled as if he hadn't bathed in days".

The New Yorker

Social kissing, although increasingly taking over from the traditional handshake, is not appropriate in all situations and on the whole it should only be used among friends, and not upon a first meeting.

The Guardian - Opinion

The typical pattern is one of e-mail exchanges that draw the cybersuitors into a flurry of correspondence, an epistolary romance featuring an enormous emotional intensity that fizzles abruptly upon the first meeting.

The New York Times - Tech

And, just like most of the women in the Edgar Box mysteries, Louis is immediately attracted to Peter Sargeant, who has to fight him off upon their first meeting: We played tag a moment and then he grabbed me, holding me the way a boxer holds another boxer in a clinch and both of us trying not to make any noise, for different reasons.

The New Yorker

Maliki's appeal rests on a decision made in 2010 by the federal court, which stated that the largest bloc (whether electoral or parliamentary) should be tasked with forming the government, and more specifically, the largest bloc upon the first meeting of parliament.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "upon first meeting" to introduce a detail that sets the stage for a person or situation. Consider adding a brief background or context before using the phrase to provide richer meaning.

Common error

Avoid using "upon first meeting" in very informal writing or speech. The word "upon" can sound overly formal in casual settings; consider using "when we first met" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "upon first meeting" functions as a prepositional phrase modifying a verb or noun. It indicates the timing or circumstance surrounding an initial encounter. As shown by Ludwig, this introductory phrase is used to describe reactions, impressions, or events that occur at the beginning of a relationship.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

56%

Wiki

28%

Science

6%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "upon first meeting" is a prepositional phrase used to describe something that occurs during an initial encounter. As Ludwig AI has confirmed, it's grammatically sound and frequently found in news and media contexts. While generally appropriate, the relatively formal tone of "upon" might make it unsuitable for very casual situations, where alternatives like "when we first met" could be preferable. Despite its formal tone, Ludwig AI rates this sentence as correct and easily usable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at the first encounter

Simple substitution using "at" instead of "upon".

at the initial encounter

Replaces 'upon' with 'at' and uses 'encounter' instead of 'meeting'.

during the first introduction

Uses 'during' instead of 'upon' and 'introduction' instead of 'meeting'.

on their initial meeting

Changes "upon" to "on" and "first" to "initial".

when initially introduced

Changes the structure to a clause with 'when' and uses 'introduced'.

when they first met

Restructures the phrase as a clause introduced by 'when'.

at the moment of introduction

Emphasizes the specific moment of introduction.

at the start of acquaintance

Emphasizes the beginning of a relationship or familiarity.

during the initial get-together

Uses a more casual term 'get-together' instead of 'meeting'.

when they first came together

Emphasizes the act of people convening for the first time.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "upon first meeting" to sound more casual?

You can use phrases like "when we first met", "the first time we met", or "when I first met them" depending on the context.

Is it more correct to say "upon first meeting" or "at our first meeting"?

Both "upon first meeting" and "at our first meeting" are grammatically correct. "Upon first meeting" tends to sound slightly more formal than "at our first meeting".

What does "upon first meeting" imply about the event?

The phrase "upon first meeting" implies an immediate or instantaneous reaction or impression that occurs at the moment of the initial encounter. It emphasizes the immediacy of the experience.

Are there contexts where "upon first meeting" is not appropriate?

While grammatically sound, "upon first meeting" might sound too formal in very casual settings. In such cases, simpler alternatives like "when I first met" or "the first time I met" may be more suitable.