Meaning & use
conference meeting
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Meanings
nouncountable
A formal gathering where a group discusses a subject, often with prepared talks or a set agenda, either in person or by phone or video.
Grammar: Countable: we have a conference meeting on Monday; there were three conference meetings this week.
Patterns
- a conference meeting about something
- a conference meeting with someone
The managers held a conference meeting to decide next year's budget.
I can't join the lunch because I have a conference meeting at noon.
A conference meeting between teachers and parents was arranged to discuss the new timetable.
nouncountable
A meeting held in a conference room, or one where people in different places join together by phone or video.
Grammar: Often used for remote meetings: join the conference meeting online.
Patterns
- join a conference meeting
Dial the number in the invitation to join the conference meeting from home.
Three offices took part in the conference meeting by video link.
The conference meeting was recorded so absent staff could watch it later.
Word forms
| plural | conference meetings |
|---|
Common combinations
- schedule a conference meeting
- Can we schedule a conference meeting for Thursday morning?
- attend a conference meeting
- All department heads must attend the conference meeting.
- chair a conference meeting
- The director will chair the conference meeting.
- conference meeting room
- The conference meeting room is booked until three o'clock.
- emergency conference meeting
- An emergency conference meeting was called after the data leak.
Synonyms and how they differ
- conference
- Conference alone often means a large, multi-day event with many speakers, while conference meeting suggests a smaller working discussion.
- meeting
- Meeting is the everyday plain word and fits any gathering, whereas conference meeting sounds more formal or planned.
- conference call
- A conference call is specifically held by phone or video, but a conference meeting can be face to face.
Word family
- confer verb
- to discuss something together before deciding
- conference noun
- a large or formal meeting
- meet verb
- to come together with someone
- conferencing noun
- holding meetings at a distance using technology
Commonly confused: conference meeting or convention?
conference meeting vs convention
A convention is a large gathering of people with a shared interest, such as fans or professionals; a conference meeting is usually smaller and focused on discussion.
Practice
We could not decide on the new schedule by email, so the manager arranged a ______ for Friday.
Choose one answer.
A conference meeting is a gathering to discuss and decide. The table, point and chair are objects or places, not events you can arrange for a day.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “conference meeting”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.