diff --git a/lib/vector-core/src/event/metadata.rs b/lib/vector-core/src/event/metadata.rs
index d9a7317c94d51f..083123bc45e48e 100644
--- a/lib/vector-core/src/event/metadata.rs
+++ b/lib/vector-core/src/event/metadata.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 use std::{borrow::Cow, collections::BTreeMap, fmt, sync::Arc};
 
+use lookup::OwnedTargetPath;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use vector_common::{byte_size_of::ByteSizeOf, config::ComponentKey, EventDataEq};
 use vrl::{
@@ -345,6 +346,26 @@ impl EventMetadata {
     pub fn set_schema_definition(&mut self, definition: &Arc<schema::Definition>) {
         self.schema_definition = Arc::clone(definition);
     }
+
+    /// Helper function to add a semantic meaning to the schema definition.
+    ///
+    /// This replaces the common code sequence of:
+    ///
+    /// ```
+    /// let new_schema = log_event
+    ///     .metadata()
+    ///     .schema_definition()
+    ///     .as_ref()
+    ///     .clone()
+    ///     .with_meaning(target_path, meaning);
+    /// log_event
+    ///     .metadata_mut()
+    ///     .set_schema_definition(new_schema);
+    /// ````
+    pub fn add_schema_meaning(&mut self, target_path: OwnedTargetPath, meaning: &str) {
+        let schema = Arc::make_mut(&mut self.schema_definition);
+        schema.add_meaning(target_path, meaning);
+    }
 }
 
 impl EventDataEq for EventMetadata {
diff --git a/lib/vector-core/src/schema/definition.rs b/lib/vector-core/src/schema/definition.rs
index b802cdd48cc9c4..be3c20a214f756 100644
--- a/lib/vector-core/src/schema/definition.rs
+++ b/lib/vector-core/src/schema/definition.rs
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ impl Definition {
     /// # Panics
     ///
     /// This method panics if the provided path points to an unknown location in the collection.
-    fn add_meaning(&mut self, target_path: OwnedTargetPath, meaning: &str) {
+    pub fn add_meaning(&mut self, target_path: OwnedTargetPath, meaning: &str) {
         self.try_with_meaning(target_path, meaning)
             .unwrap_or_else(|err| panic!("{}", err));
     }