Meredith Grey's 11 Love Interests in 'Grey's Anatomy,' Ranked (2024)

Grey's Anatomy's Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) has experienced a lot in the 20 seasons that the show has been on air. Her journey started as a humble surgical intern who only wanted to follow in the footsteps of her mother Ellis Grey (Kate Burton). In her time at the hospital, Meredith has gone through a lot: She's endured heartbreak and loss, faced her own mortality, and battled personal demons. But through it all, she has emerged as a stronger, more compassionate person. She was able to achieve her goals and more thanks to the loyal band of friends and family around her. In addition, Meredith Grey's boyfriends were also a key fixture of the show, with viewers waiting to see which one she'd end up with.

Starting the show with a love affair with soulmate Derek (Patrick Dempsey), Meredith learns the hard way that a happily ever after might not be what she expected. But of course, working at a stressful hospital like Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital is bound to take its toll, and Meredith inevitably finds solace in the arms of a charming man who can't help but fall for her. From awkward one-night stands to grand declarations of romance, Meredith is slowly but surely on the path to finding her Mr. Right.

Grey's Anatomy

TV-14

Drama

Romance

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See Also

Character Archetypes: The Love Interest20 Game-Changing Love Interests And Why They're So Important - Bang2writeSix Character Archetypes for Love Interests10 Best Character Traits for a Love Interest – Writers Method

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Release Date

March 27, 2005

Creator(s)

Shonda Rhimes , Michelle Lirtzman

Directors

Rob Corn , Kevin McKidd , Debbie Allen , Chandra Wilson , Allison Liddi-Brown , Jeannot Szwarc , Tony Phelan

Cast

Ellen Pompeo , Chandra Wilson , James Pickens Jr. , Justin Chambers , Kevin McKidd , Jesse Williams , Bokhee An , camilla luddington , Patrick Dempsey , Sara Ramirez , Jessica Capshaw , Sandra Oh , Caterina Scorsone , Sarah Drew , Kelly McCreary , Kim Raver , Jason George , Eric Dane , Giacomo Gianniotti , Jake Borelli , Katherine Heigl , Jerrika Hinton , Chyler Leigh , Chris Carmack , T.R. Knight , Debbie Allen , Jaicy Elliot , Anthony Hill , Kate Walsh , Greg Germann , Isaiah Washington , Aniela Gumbs , Martin Henderson , Payton Silver , Gaius Charles , Tessa Ferrer , Stefania Spampinato , Alex Landi , Scott Speedman , Mark Saul , Nicole Rubio , Richard Flood , Ryder Goodstadt , Steven W. Bailey , Adelaide Kane , Alexis Floyd , Harry Shum Jr. , Midori Francis , Niko Terho

Seasons

21

Network

ABC

11 Steve Murphy

Played by Sunkrish Bala

Derek and Meredith found it hard to establish their relationship at the beginning due to Derek's marriage to Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) — so much so that they even broke up. In one of the best seasons of Grey's Anatomy, Meredith tries to get over Derek by meeting with and having a one-night stand with Steve (Sunkrish Bala). However, it's a near nightmare scenario when Steve shows up at the hospital the next day with priapism, which is when the male member is stiff without stimulation.

Things gradually get more and more humiliating for Meredith as Derek is called in to perform surgery on Steve. In order to cure Steve's priapism, Derek has to remove a tumor from Steve's spine. This encounter is nothing less than a disaster, and thankfully, Steve is never seen nor mentioned again.

10 George O’Malley

Played by T.R. Knight

From the pilot, George (TR Knight) is deeply infatuated with Meredith. He has the cliché schoolboy crush on his new friend, taking pride whenever Derek lets her down and tries to offer a comforting shoulder with the hope she will see that he is everything she deserves and more. When Meredith is heartbroken over Derek, she turns to George for a drunken night of awkward, regrettable passion — or lack thereof. It backfires miserably on George and makes for an extremely uncomfortable encounter after Meredith starts sobbing uncontrollably.

Meredith and George's relationship was multifaceted, starting as roommates in the first season and evolving into a deep friendship. And despite George growing a little hostile towards her in the aftermath, they eventually make up and stick to being what they know best: friends. George's untimely death in Season 5, after being hit by a bus, left a profound impact on everyone who knew him. He never found the love of his life, and his absence was deeply felt by Meredith and the entire hospital staff.

9 John

Played by Josh Radnor

How I Met Your Mother’s unlucky with love’s own, Josh Radnor, has a minor guest-starring role in Season 15 as Meredith Grey's love interest. Just like his character Ted Mosby from How I Met Your Mother was searching for love, his desire for a no-strings-attached relationship clashed with Meredith's needs. He and Meredith have a run-in with each other on a blind date – set up for other people. They hit it off with Meredith rescheduling her entire day to spend more time with John after sensing something may be there.

That decision alone is a huge deal for her considering how in demand she is at the hospital and her recent misfortune with love. Blissful ignorance is soon shattered though when John reveals he has no interest in children and unintentionally insults Meredith. Their difference in their expectations ultimately highlighted their incompatibility. John is one match Meredith finds herself desperate to diffuse, and thankfully, she quickly moves on to find someone better.

8 William Thorpe

Played by Scott Elrod

Fans may recall William (Scott Elrod) as Meredith’s rebound of sorts in Season 12. He presented as a classic type-A personality, characterized by ambition, directness, and a strong sense of control. These traits were likely honed during his military service, which instilled in him the discipline and decisiveness necessary for a trauma surgeon. He senses there could be something worth pursuing, and they go on a few dates. They first met when they were both assigned to Brian Carson (Brett Zimmerman), who was ridden with osteosarcoma. The two easily hit it off, especially since William's southern charm is hard to resist.

They went on several dates, with them even sleeping together. However, Meredith had a panic attack the morning after and screamed at William to leave since she didn't think that she was ready to pursue love. The thing about William is that he’s not an awful person. He is patient with Meredith, giving her space when she needs it, but he is the classic case of right person, wrong time. Maybe in another life, these two could have worked something out.

7 Atticus Lincoln

Played by Chris Carmack

Link (Chris Carmack) is a highly skilled orthopedic surgeon who earned the nickname "Ortho God" due to his exceptional abilities and innovative approach to complex cases. His dedication to his field stems from his personal experience as a childhood cancer survivor, having overcome osteosarcoma. Link is unwittingly thrust into yet another of Meredith’s love triangles, with the new "Ortho God" and Andrew DeLuca (Giacomo Gianniotti) battling for her affection. Link proves to be a hit with everyone in the family, including the kids, so much so that Meredith even chooses to start a relationship with him.

With DeLuca’s Italian charm in his way, the spark between Link and Meredith fizzles out before it can even ignite. While Link is a sweetheart, it’s hard to imagine things working out with Meredith. The chemistry just isn’t there, but he does find his own love story in Grey's Anatomy shortly after, with him starting a family with Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone).

6 Nick Marsh

Played by Scott Speedman

One of Meredith’s objects of affection is Scott Speedman’s renowned charismatic transplant surgeon, Nick Marsh. First appearing in season 14 as a patient, it looked like sparks were going to fly with Meredith, but he is very quickly phased out as soon as he’s introduced. Nick returns in season 18 and finds that the chemistry between him and Meredith is still there. Now, the pair have struck up a long-distance relationship which seems to be going well.

Beyond their shared experiences, Nick has proven to be an unwavering source of support for Meredith. He encourages her professional goals, respects her need for independence, and has become a positive influence in her children's lives. This foundation of support, coupled with their understanding of each other's pasts has created a strong bond between them. A question on many fans' minds is whether they can withstand the test of time, which they did, as it was revealed that Nick followed Meredith to Boston, which sadly meant that Speedman had also exited the show.

5 Nathan Riggs

Played by Martin Henderson

Riggs's (Martin Henderson) specialization in cardiothoracic surgery, focusing on the vital organs within the chest, made him an indispensable member of the Grey Sloan Memorial surgical team. He comes onto the series with a lot of baggage — nearly enough to rival Meredith’s if anyone’s counting. Like the general surgeon, Riggs lost his soulmate and the love of his life, Megan (Abigail Spencer), when she went missing while deployed.

Meredith's half-sister Maggie was also interested in Riggs, which made things complicated as his connection with Meredith deepened. When she finally made a move, it put Riggs in a difficult position, especially since Meredith had already cautioned him against reciprocating. After Derek’s death, Meredith opts to avoid romance but falls into an entanglement of complications with Riggs. The two grow closer and closer as Meredith becomes more comfortable in opening herself up to love again. In fact, Meredith makes a symbolic move to tuck away the Post-it that has her and Derek's vows in order to pursue a relationship with Riggs. She and Riggs were looking promising for a hot second until Megan returned.

4 Cormac Hayes

Played by Richard Flood

Following the departure of Justin Chambers’ fan-favorite Alex Karev, the pediatrics ward was in need of a new surgeon. Meredith’s best friend and proclaimed ‘person’ Cristina (Sandra Oh) sends a two-in-one — experienced doctor for Grey Sloan and potential love interest for Meredith — package with Irishman, Hayes (Richard Flood).

Hayes shares a lot in common with Meredith. Both are widowed, both are single parents, and both are doctors. The pair have a couple of interactions together, but nothing overly flirtatious. Technically, nothing ever does happen between them; however, his entrance is implicated alongside Meredith’s love life. This could have been the show’s next best power couple if they had been able to settle down, but they are plagued by COVID-19 comas and a shock departure when Hayes resigns and exits the series.

3 Finn Dandridge

Played by Chris O'Donnell

Finn (Chris O’Donnell) is the first semi-serious relationship Meredith embarks on after Addison arrives and drops a major bombshell, revealing herself as Derek's estranged wife. Derek breaks things off with the leading lady to fix his marriage while Meredith glams it up with the single life. Finn demonstrated remarkable patience and empathy towards Meredith's emotional state, especially her unresolved feelings for Derek. He consistently avoided pressuring her and validated her feelings, allowing her to navigate her emotions at her own pace.

Finn is one role where Chris O’Donnell plays a sweet guy (apart from Robin in the 90's movie Batman and Robin). He dotes on Meredith, despite knowing that her heart ultimately lies with Derek. Of all of her love interests, Finn is maybe one of the few men who is worthy of more than she could give. In hindsight, he never really stands a chance against Derek, but he doesn’t deserve to be cheated on – especially at a prom he had taken Meredith to.

2 Andrew DeLuca

Played by Giacomo Gianniotti

Andrew (Giacomo Gianniotti) was eager to prove himself and follow in his father's footsteps with greater integrity and began his internship at Grey Sloan Memorial. However, he faced challenges fitting in and navigated a complex relationship with Meredith that was further complicated by his mental health. The romantic pairing of Meredith and DeLuca has been met with a mixed reception from fans. After sharing a brief smooch – drunkenly on DeLuca’s part – the Italian stud falls head over heels for his attending and spends the first half of Season 15 making grand, swoon-worthy gestures towards her.

DeLuca is nothing but considerate, respectful, and selfless around Meredith. He always puts her and her kids first. The resident is even willing to go to prison to protect her, and they’d only been dating for a short while at that point. Despite breaking up, Meredith and DeLuca are still there for one another and clearly share a lot of love. Sadly, their romance is not meant to be when DeLuca is fatally stabbed. However, they do share one last moment on the purgatory beach where they find closure for their short-lived relationship.

1 Derek Shepherd

Played by Patrick Dempsey

While this dynamic duo has their ups and downs with each other, Derek and Meredith have been the "it" couple of Grey Sloan for a whole decade. They began as strangers in the heat of a one-night stand, their connection forged before even learning each other's names. While their relationship was often turbulent, fueled by passion and a volatile dynamic, their commitment to each other remained unwavering. They navigated a storm of breakups, makeups, and arguments, emerging stronger and more united.

Derek is Meredith’s greatest love and there’s no question about it. He was her person, her McDreamy, the one who truly saw and understood her. Their romance is a whirlwind from the very first episode. Together, they've weathered a storm of adversity that would have destroyed most couples. They've confronted the wrath of a scorned spouse, the complexities of competing affections, and the heartbreak of losing loved ones. Even a near-death experience couldn't break their bond, proving the depth of their love. It seems nothing could ever come between them – until Derek’s devastating death. Years may have passed, but his absence remains a palpable presence in Meredith's life and in the hearts of viewers. and down the line, Meredith still considers him her McDreamy.

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