meet a deadline — finish on time
collocationB2IELTS 6+neutralcommon
to finish something by the time it is due
Say it like a native
Textbook We succeeded in adhering to the stipulated deadline.
Native We managed to meet the deadline.
'Meet the deadline' is the standard collocation; 'adhere to the stipulated deadline' is contract-speak.
Pattern: meet a deadline / meet the deadline
In use
- We worked late to meet the deadline.work
- At university I learned to plan ahead so that I could meet deadlines without staying up all night.IELTS Part 2
Common mistake
✗ We reached the deadline just in time.
✓ We met the deadline just in time.
We MEET a deadline (the opposite is MISS it), not 'reach' it.
Common collocations
meet + deadline— the deadline, a tight deadline, deadlines, on time
Don't confuse it
Finishing by the due time, the opposite of miss a deadline.