face-to-face meeting

Meaning

A meeting where people are physically present in the same room, rather than communicating online, over the phone, or via email. It is used to contrast in-person communication with digital communication.

Examples

• We should arrange a face-to-face meeting to finalize the contract.

  We should arrange a face-to-face meeting to finalize the contract.

• While video calls are convenient, a face-to-face meeting builds stronger trust.

  While video calls are convenient, a face-to-face meeting builds stronger trust.

• I had a face-to-face meeting with my manager to discuss my promotion.

  I had a face-to-face meeting with my manager to discuss my promotion.

• After weeks of emails, we finally had a face-to-face meeting.

  After weeks of emails, we finally had a face-to-face meeting.

• They flew to New York specifically for a face-to-face meeting with the client.

  They flew to New York specifically for a face-to-face meeting with the client.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We had a face to face meeting.

  ✓ We had a face-to-face meeting.

  When 'face-to-face' is used as a compound adjective directly before a noun, it must be written with hyphens.

• ✗ I want to meet you face-to-face meeting.

  ✓ I want to have a face-to-face meeting with you.

  You can 'meet face-to-face' (using it as an adverb) or 'have a face-to-face meeting' (using it as an adjective). Mixing both is grammatically incorrect.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Instead of emailing, let's schedule a ___ to resolve this issue.

  💡 An in-person meeting in the same room

  Show answer

  face-to-face meeting

• The client requested a ___ before signing the agreement.

  💡 A meeting where we physically see each other

  Show answer

  face-to-face meeting