To meet a deadline is to finish or submit something by the required time. Finishing early also counts.
meet + a/the/our + deadline; met (past); miss a deadline
- We finished the slides on Thursday and met Friday's deadline.
- Students need a realistic schedule to meet their assignment deadlines.
What changed
First version
We need to meet deadline for the application.
Revision
We need to meet the deadline for the application.
A singular “deadline” needs a determiner here. Use “the deadline” for the known application date, or “a deadline” when it has not been specified. The past of “meet” is “met”.
Meeting a deadline means being on time; missing it means being late. Making progress is different: a task can be going well but still be unfinished when it is due.
Your turn
The report was due on Friday. We sent it on Thursday, so we ___ the deadline. (met / missed)
Show the answer
met — Thursday is before Friday, so the deadline was met. “Missed” would mean the work arrived too late.
Write about a real deadline. Include what needs to be finished, when it is due and how you will stay on schedule.
To meet the application deadline on Monday, I will ask for the reference letter today.
Teaching example by the LetsWords editorial team.