20+ Other Ways to Say “Looking Forward to Meeting You” (With Examples)

Last updated on December 2nd, 2025 at 04:35 pm

When you write “I look forward to meeting you”, you’re saying you’re eager to meet someone soon.

It shows you’re polite and excited. But using the same phrase over and over can make your message sound flat or repetitive.

That’s why knowing alternatives to “looking forward to meeting you”, synonyms for “looking forward to meeting you”, and other ways to say “I look forward to meeting you” matters.

The phrase you pick affects the tone—making you sound formal, friendly, casual, or professional. In this article you’ll learn when to use the phrase, what it means, and 20+ great alternatives with examples you can use right away.

What Does “I Look Forward to Meeting You” Mean?

This phrase expresses anticipation or pleasure about an upcoming meeting. Grammar-wise, note that “look forward to” must be followed by a noun or gerund (verb + -ing). So it is correct to say: “I look forward to meeting you.” Not: “I look forward to meet you.” Preply+1
In short: you are telling the person you are pleased that you will be meeting them in future.

When to Use “I Look Forward to Meeting You”

You can use this phrase in many contexts:

Written or spoken invitations: “Thank you for scheduling a time. I look forward to meeting you.”
Emails to a new colleague, client, interviewer, or business partner.
Formal or semi-formal settings where you want to sound polite and professional.
It’s less suited for very casual chats like “See you soon!” with a close friend.

Is It Professional/Polite to Say “I Look Forward to Meeting You”?

Yes—it is professional, polite and widely accepted in business communication. Rontar+1
Tone and etiquette:

It conveys respect and readiness.
It’s polite to close an email or message when you’ve arranged a meeting.
It works well when meeting someone for the first time.
In very casual contexts or when writing to a close peer, you might prefer something more friendly or informal.

Pros and Cons of Using “I Look Forward to Meeting You”

Pros

Shows enthusiasm and positive expectation.
Sounds professional and courteous.
Safe choice for formal mail or business contexts.
Cons
It can feel overused or cliché.
Lacks variety—your message may sound bland.
Doesn’t always capture nuance (e.g., excitement, collaboration, teamwork).

20 Alternative Phrases

Here are more than 20 varied ways to say the same idea—split by subtle nuance.

1. Phrase: Can’t wait to meet you

Meaning: Very eager to meet you soon.
Explanation: Strong excitement; more informal.
Example: “I’ve heard so much about your work—can’t wait to meet you next week.”
Best Use: Informal / friendly / casual business.
Worst Use: Very formal or ultra-corporate emails.
Tone: Friendly / enthusiastic

2. Phrase: Excited to meet you

Meaning: Happy and eager about the upcoming meeting.
Explanation: Slightly less casual than “can’t wait”, still warm.
Example: “Excited to meet you and discuss our plans for the project.”
Best Use: Semi-formal / friendly business.
Worst Use: Strictly formal contexts (e.g., formal invitation to high-level executive).
Tone: Friendly / upbeat

3. Phrase: Looking forward to our meeting

Meaning: I anticipate our scheduled meeting with interest.
Explanation: Very close to the original phrase; slightly more formal.
Example: “Thank you for setting up the call—I’m looking forward to our meeting on Thursday.”
Best Use: Formal business / professional emails.
Worst Use: Very informal chats among peers.
Tone: Professional / polite

4. Phrase: Eager to meet you

Meaning: Keen or enthusiastic to meet you.
Explanation: Stronger than “looking forward”; conveys readiness.
Example: “I’m eager to meet you and explore how we can work together.”
Best Use: Business introductions where you want to show interest.
Worst Use: When you want a very laid-back tone.
Tone: Professional / confident

5. Phrase: Anticipating our meeting

Meaning: Expecting the meeting with interest.
Explanation: Slightly formal; less emotional, more thoughtful.
Example: “I’ve prepared the agenda and I’m anticipating our meeting next Tuesday.”
Best Use: Formal business / academic / official contexts.
Worst Use: Casual chat among friends.
Tone: Formal / neutral

6. Phrase: I’m thrilled to meet you

Meaning: Very excited and pleased to be meeting you.
Explanation: High energy; more emotional.
Example: “I’m thrilled to meet you at last—your work has inspired me for years.”
Best Use: When you really want to convey strong enthusiasm (e.g., a mentor meeting a student).
Worst Use: Very formal business meeting where excessive emotion may feel odd.
Tone: Friendly / emphatic

7. Phrase: Counting down the days until we meet

Meaning: I am eagerly awaiting our encounter; it feels soon.
Explanation: Personal, slightly playful.
Example: “Counting down the days until we meet at the conference!”
Best Use: Less formal professional context; creative industries.
Worst Use: Formal corporate correspondence.
Tone: Casual / friendly

8. Phrase: It’ll be great to meet you

Meaning: I believe our meeting will be good/ valuable.
Explanation: Friendly but modest.
Example: “It’ll be great to meet you and put a face to the name.”
Best Use: Business meeting with new contact; casual professional.
Worst Use: Very formal or large scale executive meeting (might sound too casual).
Tone: Neutral / friendly

9. Phrase: I’m happy to meet you soon

Meaning: I’m pleased that we will meet soon.
Explanation: Polite and warm.
Example: “I’m happy to meet you soon and to hear more about your ideas.”
Best Use: Professional yet warm context.
Worst Use: Very informal friends’ discussion (might sound overly formal).
Tone: Polite / neutral

10. Phrase: I’m looking ahead to our meeting

Meaning: I am thinking positively about our upcoming meeting.
Explanation: Emphasises planning/anticipation.
Example: “I’m looking ahead to our meeting and the strategy we’ll map out.”
Best Use: Business or project-planning contexts.
Worst Use: Informal, casual meet-up.
Tone: Professional / future-oriented

11. Phrase: Looking forward to seeing you

Meaning: I am eager to see you (in person / at the meeting).
Explanation: Slightly more personal; useful if you’ve already met virtually.
Example: “Looking forward to seeing you at the workshop next week.”
Best Use: Professional friendly context; follow-up meetings.
Worst Use: Very formal introduction to a high-level executive (might feel too informal).
Tone: Friendly / approachable

12. Phrase: I’m eager to connect with you

Meaning: I want to establish or deepen a professional relationship with you.
Explanation: Emphasises networking, relationship-building.
Example: “I’m eager to connect with you and learn how our teams can support each other.”
Best Use: Business networking, collaboration contexts.
Worst Use: Casual personal meeting with a friend (sounds too business-like).
Tone: Professional / friendly

13. Phrase: Anticipating our time together

Meaning: I am looking forward to the time we will spend together.
Explanation: Emphasises “time together”; good for workshops, meetings with substance.
Example: “Anticipating our time together at the leadership retreat.”
Best Use: Business-oriented but somewhat relaxed engagements.
Worst Use: Very brief formal meeting (may feel too elaborate).
Tone: Thoughtful / friendly

14. Phrase: Can’t wait to connect

Meaning: I’m very eager to have the meeting or conversation.
Explanation: Informal, great for modern professional contexts.
Example: “Can’t wait to connect next Tuesday and start brainstorming.”
Best Use: Startup culture, creative industries, friendly business contacts.
Worst Use: Very formal corporate letter.
Tone: Casual / enthusiastic

15. Phrase: Excited about our upcoming meeting

Meaning: I’m pleased and ready for our planned meeting.
Explanation: Slightly more formal than “excited to meet you”.
Example: “Excited about our upcoming meeting to review the Q3 results.”
Best Use: Business professional context.
Worst Use: Some extremely formal or rigid settings where even minimal informality is risky.
Tone: Professional / warm

16. Phrase: Eagerly awaiting our meeting

Meaning: I am waiting with interest for our meeting.
Explanation: Formal, somewhat old-school, but polite.
Example: “I am eagerly awaiting our meeting and the opportunity to discuss further.”
Best Use: Formal correspondence, academic/business introductions.
Worst Use: Informal chats among colleagues.
Tone: Formal / polite

17. Phrase: I can’t wait to meet you in person

Meaning: I’ve met virtually / talked; now I look forward to actual face-to-face meeting.
Explanation: Highlights the transition to in-person meeting.
Example: “After our Zoom sessions, I can’t wait to meet you in person next month.”
Best Use: Hybrid/virtual-to-in-person context.
Worst Use: Strictly remote meeting where “in person” doesn’t apply.
Tone: Friendly / enthusiastic

18. Phrase: I’m anticipating a great conversation

Meaning: I expect we’ll have a valuable, fruitful talk when we meet.
Explanation: Focuses not just on meeting, but on the content.
Example: “I’m anticipating a great conversation about your design ideas.”
Best Use: Professional context where the meeting has substance (discussion, brainstorming).
Worst Use: Very short generic meeting where such emphasis is odd.
Tone: Professional / focused

19. Phrase: Can’t wait to finally chat

Meaning: We’ve been waiting, and now I’m excited to talk and meet.
Explanation: Informal and friendly.
Example: “We’ve been emailing for a while—can’t wait to finally chat when we meet.”
Best Use: Creative/co-working/casual professional context.
Worst Use: Formal meeting with senior management.
Tone: Casual / friendly

20. Phrase: Looking forward to what we’ll create together

Meaning: I expect our meeting will lead to collaboration or output.
Explanation: Focuses on joint action, teamwork.
Example: “Looking forward to what we’ll create together at this workshop.”
Best Use: Project kickoff, creative collaboration, client-partner meeting.
Worst Use: Simple introductory meeting where creation is not the goal.
Tone: Friendly / collaborative

21. Phrase: I’m grateful for the chance to meet you

Meaning: I appreciate the opportunity to meet you; I value it.
Explanation: Emphasises appreciation and respect.
Example: “I’m grateful for the chance to meet you and learn from your experience.”
Best Use: Formal introductions, especially when meeting someone senior or respected.
Worst Use: Very casual meet-up where such formal gratitude may feel overdone.
Tone: Formal / respectful

22. Phrase: I’m ready to dive in—see you soon!

Meaning: I’m prepared and excited for the meeting to begin.
Explanation: Very energetic, action-oriented.
Example: “I’ve reviewed all the materials—I’m ready to dive in—see you soon!”
Best Use: Team meetings, project start, dynamic work contexts.
Worst Use: Formal/executive meeting where extra excitement may feel un-reserved.
Tone: Casual / enthusiastic

Comparison Table

Here’s a quick table comparing tone and ideal usage for 7 of the alternatives:

Phrase	Tone	Best Use
Can’t wait to meet you	Friendly / casual	Informal, creative businesses
Looking forward to our meeting	Professional	Business / formal email
I’m eager to connect with you	Professional / friendly	Networking, collaboration
I’m thrilled to meet you	Friendly / enthusiastic	Mentor/mentee, excited meeting
Anticipating our meeting	Formal	Academic, official business
Looking forward to seeing you	Friendly / approachable	Follow-up meetings, known contacts
I’m grateful for the chance to meet you	Formal / respectful	Meeting someone senior

FAQs

Q1. Can I always use “looking forward to meeting you”?
Yes, it’s correct and safe for many professional contexts. But for variety or better tone-matching you might pick an alternative. Grammar note: use “meeting” (gerund) after “look forward to”. Preply

Q2. Is it okay to say “can’t wait to meet you” in a business email?
It depends on the tone of your organisation or the recipient. If you know the person and the environment is informal, yes. But if writing to a senior executive or very formal context, a more formal alternative is better.

Q3. Should I avoid “looking forward to meeting you” because it’s cliché?
You don’t have to avoid it entirely—it’s perfectly acceptable. But mixing in alternatives helps your writing feel fresh and tailored to the situation.

Q4. What’s the difference between “meet you” and “meeting you”?
After “look forward to”, you must use a noun or gerund: “meeting you” is correct. “Meet you” would be incorrect in that sequence. Preply

Q5. Can I use these phrases in spoken English too?
Yes—these alternatives work in spoken communication as well, though tone and context still matter. For example, “Can’t wait to meet you!” sounds natural in many informal spoken interactions.

Conclusion

Choosing the right words when you say “I look forward to meeting you” matters. It sets the tone, shows your professionalism, and reflects your personality.

By having a toolkit of different phrases—from formal to friendly—you’ll sound more confident, natural and adaptable.

Try some of the 20+ alternatives above in your next email or meeting invitation. Mix it up, match the tone to your audience, and watch your communication improve.

David Jonson

David Jonson is an experienced English language writer who specializes in clear, practical, and learner-friendly content. He helps students and professionals improve their communication skills with confidence.