greeted; greeting; greets
Synonyms of greet

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 be seen or experienced by
a chaotic scene greeted them
were greeted by snow upon arrival at the airport
greeter noun

greet

2 of 2

verb (2)

Examples of greet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
To improve chances of a timely reply, patients should start messages by greeting their doctor by name, ideally including both first and last names. Paul Hsieh, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026 Thunderous applause may greet one documentary premiering at the Venice Film Festival, fitting for a story of athletes who shake the earth with every footfall. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2026 Job duties include greeting and assisting customers, operating cash registers, stocking shelves and cleaning the store. Charlotte Observer, 31 Aug. 2026 One of their most notable outings was at the March 2024 Academy Awards, where the couple were photographed greeting De Niro’s Taxi Driver co-star, Jodie Foster. Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for greet

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Greet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greet. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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

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