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
In March, as sponsors withdrew and protests greeted a Los Angeles pop-up, Redzepi stepped away from day-to-day leadership. — Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026 The day manager greeted her at the club, still in his shiny vest but now well lubricated and nearly slurring his words. — Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026 Anyway, the ladies are greeted by their incredible tour guide, a sexologist named Carol Queen. — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026 On the day Erica and Peter moved into 150 Charles, their attorney claims, they were greeted with a cluttered and dirty space that didn’t square with the $26,000-a-month rent. — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 8 Oct. 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 14 Oct. 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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