Meant to be vs. Mean to be – Which is Correct?
“Meant to be” and “mean to be” are both correct, but they serve different grammatical purposes. “Meant to be” usually expresses intention, suitability, or destiny, while “mean to be” uses the present-tense verb mean to express intention or ask about significance. Choose based on the subject and tense in context.
Meant to Be or Mean to Be: Which Is Correct?
Both “meant to be” and “mean to be” are correct English phrases. The difference is grammatical and semantic. “Meant to be” uses the past participle meant and commonly describes something intended, destined, or naturally suitable. “Mean to be” uses the present-tense verb mean and usually expresses someone’s current intention or asks about the significance of something.
For example, “They are meant to be together” suggests destiny or suitability, whereas “I mean to be helpful” means “I intend to be helpful.”
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the subject-and-intention test. If a person or group is actively intending to do something, use mean to be: “I mean to be honest.” If something is intended, destined, or supposed to have a particular quality, use meant to be: “This message was meant to be private.”
A useful swap test is to replace the phrase with intend to be or was intended to be. If intend to be works, choose mean to be. If was intended to be or destined to be works, choose meant to be.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| meant to be | Verb phrase | Intended, destined, or supposed to be | They were meant to be partners. |
| mean to be | Verb phrase | Intend to be or intend to act as | I mean to be fair. |
How to Use Meant to Be
“Meant to be” is the past-participle form of the verb mean followed by to be. It is often used with a form of be, such as is meant to be, was meant to be, or are meant to be. The phrase can describe an intended purpose, an expected result, a destined relationship, or something that was supposed to happen.
It is common in both casual and formal English. In everyday speech, it frequently has a romantic or philosophical meaning, as in “They are meant to be.” In professional writing, it more often explains purpose or design.
Example 1: This button is meant to be pressed only in an emergency.
Example 2: The canceled flight was meant to be a temporary inconvenience.
Example 3: Many people believe that the two characters were meant to be together.
What Are the Different Forms of Meant to Be?
Meant is the irregular past-tense and past-participle form of mean. The phrase changes according to the helping verb and the subject: is meant to be, are meant to be, was meant to be, and were meant to be. The form has been meant to be is grammatically possible but less common than alternatives such as has been intended to be.
The phrase may also appear in negative and interrogative forms, including was not meant to be, is this meant to be funny?, and were they meant to be here?
Etymology of the Word Meant
Meant comes from mean, a verb with Old English roots. The modern verb developed from earlier Germanic words associated with having an intention, indicating significance, or expressing a thought. Its irregular form has remained meant, pronounced like ment.
How to Use Mean to Be
“Mean to be” uses the present-tense verb mean followed by the infinitive to be. It usually means intend to be or plan to behave as. The subject is typically a person or group capable of having an intention, although the phrase can also appear in questions about meaning or identity.
This construction is neutral in tone and works in casual conversation, formal writing, apologies, explanations, and statements of purpose. It should not be confused with meant to be, which commonly describes what something was intended or destined to be.
Example 1: I mean to be respectful, even when we disagree.
Example 2: She did not mean to be rude during the meeting.
Example 3: What does it mean to be a responsible citizen?
What Are the Different Forms of Mean to Be?
Because mean is an irregular verb, its forms change depending on tense and subject. The present-tense forms are mean to be and means to be: “I mean to be careful” and “He means to be careful.” The past form is meant to be: “They meant to be helpful.”
Other common forms include meaning to be, as in “I was meaning to be more patient,” and have meant to be, as in “We have meant to be supportive.” In many situations, however, natural speakers prefer a simpler alternative such as intend to be.
Etymology of the Word Mean
Mean derives from Old English and related Germanic words meaning to intend, signify, or have a particular purpose. Over time, it developed several connected meanings, including expressing an intention, indicating significance, and referring to an average value. The phrase mean to be uses the intention-related meaning.
Related Concepts
Understanding verb tense, passive constructions, and the different meanings of mean makes the distinction between these phrases much clearer.
- Past participles: Meant is the past participle of the irregular verb mean. It commonly appears after forms of be in passive constructions, such as “The comment was meant to be helpful.”
- Verb tense: Mean expresses a present intention, while meant usually places the intention in the past or describes something already intended.
- Passive voice: In “The rule is meant to be followed,” the rule receives the action of intending. The sentence does not identify who intended it.
- Infinitives: The word to introduces the infinitive be. Similar patterns include “intend to be,” “hope to be,” and “expect to be.”
Examples from Media and Literature
These phrases appear frequently in fiction, entertainment, journalism, and everyday commentary:
- Romance stories: A narrator may describe two characters as “meant to be,” presenting their relationship as destined or especially compatible.
- Instructions and product descriptions: A manual might say, “The handle is meant to be held with both hands,” explaining the product’s intended use.
- Film dialogue: A character might say, “I did not mean to be insensitive,” using the present or past intention pattern to apologize for an effect.
- News writing: A report may explain that a public statement “was meant to be reassuring,” even if audiences reacted differently.
- Literary and philosophical writing: The question “What does it mean to be human?” uses mean to be to ask about the significance or nature of existence.
Meant to Be Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Intended to be | Designed or planned to have a particular quality or purpose |
| Supposed to be | Expected or required to be something |
| Destined to be | Believed to be certain or likely to become something |
| Designed to be | Created for a particular purpose or function |
| Fated to be | Regarded as determined by fate |
Mean to Be Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Intend to be | Plan or purposefully choose to be something |
| Plan to be | Expect or arrange to be something in the future |
| Aim to be | Try or aspire to be something |
| Hope to be | Want or expect to become something |
| Want to be | Desire to have a particular identity, role, or quality |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “meant to be” correct?
Yes. “Meant to be” is correct when describing something intended, destined, suitable, or supposed to happen. For example, “The message was meant to be encouraging.”
Question 2: Is “mean to be” grammatically correct?
Yes. “Mean to be” is correct when mean expresses a present intention or when asking about significance. For example, “I mean to be honest” or “What does it mean to be successful?”
Question 3: What is the difference between “we are meant to be” and “we mean to be”?
“We are meant to be” usually means that a relationship or situation is destined or naturally suitable. “We mean to be” means that we intend to be something, although the more natural wording may be “we intend to be.”
Question 4: Should I write “I meant to be” or “I mean to be”?
Use “I meant to be” for a past intention, as in “I meant to be helpful.” Use “I mean to be” for a present or future intention, as in “I mean to be more careful.”
Conclusion
“Meant to be” and “mean to be” are both correct, but they are not interchangeable. Use meant to be for something intended, destined, or supposed to happen. Use mean to be for a present intention or a question about meaning. Pro Tip: Choosing the correct tense and phrase strengthens your clarity and protects your professional reputation.
