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THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE

Meet your match

Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.

01 / UNDERSTAND

Meaning in plain English

Encounter an opponent who is strong enough to defeat you.

02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT

The expression in a sentence

  1. Our undefeated quiz team met its match in the final.

03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Quick idiom quiz

Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.

Can you recall the expression?

Which expression from this lesson matches this meaning?

Encounter an opponent who is strong enough to defeat you.
Show the answer

Meet your match — Encounter an opponent who is strong enough to defeat you.

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Make it yours

Write one sentence using “Meet your match” about your own life.

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Does your sentence match this meaning?

Encounter an opponent who is strong enough to defeat you.

Compare: Our undefeated quiz team met its match in the final.

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More ways to understand and use it

When to use it

Use this conversational expression when a capable person finally faces someone they cannot beat. It is common in friendly competition and storytelling.

More examples in context

  • I usually win at chess, but I met my match when I played Priya.
  • The confident debater had finally met his match.

Usage note

Change the possessive with the subject: “my match” or “their match”. This is about a challenging opponent, rather than meeting a romantic partner.

A short conversation

A: Did your brother win every game again?
B: Not this time. He met his match in our new neighbour.
A: We should invite them both to the next tournament.

One more practice question

A champion meets her match and loses the final. What has she encountered?

A. An opponent who offers no challenge.
B. An opponent capable of defeating her.

Check your answer

B. Meeting your match means facing someone strong enough to beat you.

Related lessons

Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.

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