greet

1 of 2

verb (1)

greeted; greeting; greets

transitive verb

1
: to address with expression of kind wishes upon meeting or arrival
greeted guests at the door
2
a
: to meet or react to in a specified manner
greeted him with boos
b
: to occur as a response to
apathy greeted the plan
3
: to appear to the perception of
a surprising sight greeted her eyes
greeter noun

greet

2 of 2

verb (2)

grat ˈgrat How to pronounce greet (audio) ; grutten ˈgrə-tᵊn How to pronounce greet (audio)

Examples of greet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
What’s more, you’re greeted with an incredible $6,000 welcome package with a reasonable wagering requirement of 35x. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Often you’ll be greeted by a crowd of locals gathered to ogle the ritzy ship, still a curious sight in these parts. Alex Greggery, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2024 In a video posted by French magazine Gala, the former couple greeted each other with a hug and there appeared to be no bad blood between them. Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 On blustery horse rides, greeted by the aurora or not, Nilsson hopes travelers will pay attention to the world around them in the way that Sámi locals long have. Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Mar. 2024 In 1866, President Andrew Johnson was greeted there with a lavish reception. Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 3 Mar. 2024 The volunteer corps greets patrons and ushers them to their seats as the audience gets ready to enjoy events. Christina Mayo, Miami Herald, 2 Mar. 2024 Yet, some workers have greeted the new programs warily, venting on social media about the dangers of allowing a state government to raid your paycheck. Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2024 The tour's eventual debut in London was greeted with near-universal acclaim. The Arizona Republic, 25 Feb. 2024
Verb
Police and sniffer dogs had made their search, and now senior clergy lined up in scarlet cassocks, a welcoming party, while the dean, also in red, stood outside the western entrance to greet his guest. Peter Ross, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2023 There will be a chance for people to greet the team upon its arrival at campus Tuesday afternoon, tentatively around 3:15 p.m. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2023 Before leaving the hospital grounds, Francis got out of the white Fiat 500 that would take him to the Vatican to thank journalists for their work and to greet well-wishers, who cheered and waved hello. Gaia Pianigiani, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Apr. 2023 According to the Christian Gospels, people lined the streets to greet him, waving palm branches and shouting words of praise. Joanne M. Pierce, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2023 Behind each, celebrities like Tori Spelling, Jason Priestley, Candace Cameron Bure, Danica McKellar and Dave Coulier would later sit patiently, waiting to greet the crowds. Madeleine Aggeler, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2023 Diplo, seated next to musician Orville Peck, poured himself a glass of wine before former Moschino creative director Jeremy Scott stopped by to greet him. Pamela Avila, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2023 Meanwhile, Brazilian authorities said security would be stepped up and have urged his supporters not to greet the former leader at the airport in Brasilia on Thursday morning. Julia Vargas Jones, CNN, 30 Mar. 2023 Normally a quiet walk, people have streamed out of houses the past couple of weeks to greet and congratulate them. Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'greet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English greten, from Old English grētan; akin to Old English grǣtan to weep

Verb (2)

Middle English greten, from Old English grǣtan; akin to Old Norse grāta to weep

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of greet was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near greet

Cite this Entry

“Greet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greet. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

greet

verb
ˈgrēt
1
: to address upon arrival or meeting with expressions of kind wishes
greeted guests at the door
2
: to meet or react to in a specified manner
greeted with cheers
3
: to appear or present itself to
a surprising sight greeted her eyes
greeter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on greet

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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