meant to (be/do something)

idiom

: intended to (do or be something)

I was never meant to teach.

They knew as soon as they met that they were meant to be together.

I thought we could be friends, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be.

British : supposed to (be or do something)

The buses are meant to arrive every 15 minutes.

Brighton is meant to be very beautiful at this time of year.

Examples of meant to (be/do something) in a Sentence

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Anand is a neurologist and the author of The Mind Electric, out in June 2025 Within the walls of a hospital, privacy is sacred—the intimate details of someone’s body and illness are meant to be as carefully guarded, as quietly delivered, as a sacramental confession. —

Pria Anand, TIME, 18 Feb. 2025 Hamas and Israel are meant to negotiate the next phase of a ceasefire deal, releasing more hostages and prisoners in March, but the future of the deal is unclear. —

Daniel Estrin, NPR, 18 Feb. 2025 Thankfully, the world is about to be set right as the first pieces of their official partnership is set to drop this spring—and the collaboration is meant to continue well into 2026. —

Rosana Lai, Glamour, 18 Feb. 2025 So the [Super Bowl] spots were really meant to just give you a glimpse of what awaits guests at Epic Universe, a multi-sensory, mind-blowing experience that will elicit a full range of emotions: fear, joy, exhilaration, and even awe. —

Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for meant to (be/do something)

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“Meant to (be/do something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meant%20to%20%28be%2Fdo%20something%29. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.

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