meetups

IPA/ˈmiːt.ʌp/
IPA/ˈmiː.t̬ʌp/

meetups — noun

  • meetupssingular
  • meetupsesplural

1. a casual event where people with a shared hobby or interest come together — in p

1.nounB1
Definition

a casual event where people with a shared hobby or interest come together — in person or over the internet

Example

Samir joined a photography meetup at the park and made three new friends.

join + [interest] + meetup

The knitting meetup at the café happens every Tuesday after work hours.

[activity] meetup at [place]

Common collocations
  • photography meetup
  • knitting meetup
  • book meetup
  • language meetup
  • hiking meetup
  • join a meetup
  • organise a meetup
  • attend a meetup
Synonyms
  • gathering

    more general; can refer to any group of people coming together, from a family dinner to a protest

  • get-together

    very similar but usually for social or family occasions with people who already know each other

  • meet

    shorter noun form; often used for sports or hobby events like a swim meet or track meet

Usage Note

The singular form 'meetup' is far more common than the plural. Used for informal, interest-based gatherings — not for formal business meetings.

Common Mistakes

We had a meetup with the CEO to discuss the contract.
We had a meeting with the CEO to discuss the contract.
'meetup' suggests an informal social gathering, not a business appointment.

2. an online community of people who back the same political party and stay in regu

2.nounB2
Definition

an online community of people who back the same political party and stay in regular contact

Example

Yael joined a Labour Party meetup on Facebook to discuss policy ideas.

[party name] meetup on [platform]

Tuan runs a Green Party meetup where members debate climate proposals every Friday.

Common collocations
  • political meetup
  • party meetup
  • online political group
Synonyms
  • online forum

    broader term covering any topic; not limited to political party supporters

  • discussion group

    more formal; often moderated with structured topics and not necessarily political

  • political network

    broader; includes offline connections and looser affiliations beyond a single party

Usage Note

This sense narrows the general meaning to political-party supporters who communicate online. It is a specific usage that emerged as platforms like Meetup.com became popular.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A meetup is typically an informal occasion where people with a shared interest come together, often organised through online platforms. A gathering is broader — it can refer to any group of people coming together, from a family dinner to a protest. A get-together emphasizes the social, friendly nature of the occasion and is usually for existing friends or family rather than strangers with a shared hobby. A meet (noun) is most commonly used in sports contexts — a track meet, a swim meet — and carries an organised, sometimes competitive feeling. An event is the most formal term: it covers everything from a wedding to a conference and does not imply the casual, interest-driven quality of a meetup. If you go to a photography meetup in the park, you are joining strangers who share your hobby; if you go to a family get-together, you are seeing relatives; if you attend a track meet, you are competing or watching athletes compete.

gathering ↗get-together ↗meet ↗event ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • join a meetup
  • organise a meetup
  • attend a meetup

Prepositions

Etymology

English

The word 'meetup' comes from the phrasal verb 'meet up' (to get together informally), which has been in use since the mid-20th century. It became widely used as a noun after the founding of Meetup.com in 2002, a platform designed to help people organise local gatherings around shared interests. The platform's popularity turned 'meetup' into a generic term for any informal interest-based gathering, both online and in person.

First known use

1900

1900, in the meaning defined above