diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index ea93575ac9430..67bb6fd5367e1 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ jobs:
       - run: |
           /opt/python/cp311-cp311/bin/python -m venv ~/virtualenvs/pandas-dev
           . ~/virtualenvs/pandas-dev/bin/activate
-          python -m pip install --no-cache-dir -U pip wheel setuptools meson-python==0.13.1 meson[ninja]==1.2.1
+          python -m pip install --no-cache-dir -U pip wheel setuptools meson-python==0.15.0 meson[ninja]==1.4.0
           python -m pip install --no-cache-dir versioneer[toml] cython numpy python-dateutil pytz pytest>=7.3.2 pytest-xdist>=2.2.0 hypothesis>=6.46.1
           python -m pip install --no-cache-dir --no-build-isolation -e . --config-settings=setup-args="--werror"
           python -m pip list --no-cache-dir
diff --git a/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml
index f93950224eaae..1d74c1d0f5852 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           /opt/python/cp311-cp311/bin/python -m venv ~/virtualenvs/pandas-dev
           . ~/virtualenvs/pandas-dev/bin/activate
-          python -m pip install --no-cache-dir -U pip wheel setuptools meson[ninja]==1.2.1 meson-python==0.13.1
+          python -m pip install --no-cache-dir -U pip wheel setuptools meson[ninja]==1.4.0 meson-python==0.15.0
           python -m pip install numpy --config-settings=setup-args="-Dallow-noblas=true"
           python -m pip install --no-cache-dir versioneer[toml] cython python-dateutil pytz pytest>=7.3.2 pytest-xdist>=2.2.0 hypothesis>=6.46.1
           python -m pip install --no-cache-dir --no-build-isolation -e . --config-settings=setup-args="--werror"
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           /opt/python/cp311-cp311/bin/python -m venv ~/virtualenvs/pandas-dev
           . ~/virtualenvs/pandas-dev/bin/activate
-          python -m pip install --no-cache-dir -U pip wheel setuptools meson-python==0.13.1 meson[ninja]==1.2.1
+          python -m pip install --no-cache-dir -U pip wheel setuptools meson-python==0.15.0 meson[ninja]==1.4.0
           python -m pip install --no-cache-dir versioneer[toml] cython numpy python-dateutil pytz pytest>=7.3.2 pytest-xdist>=2.2.0 hypothesis>=6.46.1
           python -m pip install --no-cache-dir --no-build-isolation -e . --config-settings=setup-args="--werror"
           python -m pip list --no-cache-dir
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build Environment
         run: |
           python --version
-          python -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel meson[ninja]==1.2.1 meson-python==0.13.1
+          python -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel meson[ninja]==1.4.0 meson-python==0.15.0
           python -m pip install --pre --extra-index-url https://pypi.anaconda.org/scientific-python-nightly-wheels/simple numpy
           python -m pip install versioneer[toml]
           python -m pip install python-dateutil pytz tzdata cython hypothesis>=6.46.1 pytest>=7.3.2 pytest-xdist>=2.2.0 pytest-cov
diff --git a/ci/deps/actions-310.yaml b/ci/deps/actions-310.yaml
index 85ee5230b31be..719b92392f3ac 100644
--- a/ci/deps/actions-310.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/actions-310.yaml
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ dependencies:
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer[toml]
   - cython>=0.29.33
-  - meson[ninja]=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson[ninja]=1.4.0
+  - meson-python=0.15.0
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/ci/deps/actions-311-downstream_compat.yaml b/ci/deps/actions-311-downstream_compat.yaml
index efd790d77afbb..4ca927bd97ecb 100644
--- a/ci/deps/actions-311-downstream_compat.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/actions-311-downstream_compat.yaml
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ dependencies:
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer[toml]
   - cython>=0.29.33
-  - meson[ninja]=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson[ninja]=1.4.0
+  - meson-python=0.15.0
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/ci/deps/actions-311-numpydev.yaml b/ci/deps/actions-311-numpydev.yaml
index b62e8630f2059..b219ec0158127 100644
--- a/ci/deps/actions-311-numpydev.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/actions-311-numpydev.yaml
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ dependencies:
 
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer[toml]
-  - meson[ninja]=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson[ninja]=1.4.0
+  - meson-python=0.15.0
   - cython>=0.29.33
 
   # test dependencies
diff --git a/ci/deps/actions-311-pyarrownightly.yaml b/ci/deps/actions-311-pyarrownightly.yaml
index d84063ac2a9ba..b0fae6f0f7f93 100644
--- a/ci/deps/actions-311-pyarrownightly.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/actions-311-pyarrownightly.yaml
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ dependencies:
 
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer[toml]
-  - meson[ninja]=1.2.1
+  - meson[ninja]=1.4.0
   - cython>=0.29.33
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson-python=0.15.0
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/ci/deps/actions-311.yaml b/ci/deps/actions-311.yaml
index 535c260582eec..2c9031175fd42 100644
--- a/ci/deps/actions-311.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/actions-311.yaml
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ dependencies:
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer[toml]
   - cython>=0.29.33
-  - meson[ninja]=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson[ninja]=1.4.0
+  - meson-python=0.15.0
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/ci/deps/actions-312.yaml b/ci/deps/actions-312.yaml
index 8b3f19f55e4b6..9bde872b567f0 100644
--- a/ci/deps/actions-312.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/actions-312.yaml
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ dependencies:
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer[toml]
   - cython>=0.29.33
-  - meson[ninja]=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson[ninja]=1.4.0
+  - meson-python=0.15.0
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/ci/deps/actions-39-minimum_versions.yaml b/ci/deps/actions-39-minimum_versions.yaml
index 94cb21d1621b6..3213da20cf46f 100644
--- a/ci/deps/actions-39-minimum_versions.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/actions-39-minimum_versions.yaml
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ dependencies:
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer[toml]
   - cython>=0.29.33
-  - meson[ninja]=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson[ninja]=1.4.0
+  - meson-python=0.15.0
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/ci/deps/actions-39.yaml b/ci/deps/actions-39.yaml
index 4cc9b1fbe2491..5c6984816e6f5 100644
--- a/ci/deps/actions-39.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/actions-39.yaml
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ dependencies:
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer[toml]
   - cython>=0.29.33
-  - meson[ninja]=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson[ninja]=1.4.0
+  - meson-python=0.15.0
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/ci/deps/actions-pypy-39.yaml b/ci/deps/actions-pypy-39.yaml
index d9c8dd81b7c33..cab5a9148da75 100644
--- a/ci/deps/actions-pypy-39.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/actions-pypy-39.yaml
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ dependencies:
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer[toml]
   - cython>=0.29.33
-  - meson[ninja]=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson[ninja]=1.4.0
+  - meson-python=0.15.0
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/ci/deps/circle-310-arm64.yaml b/ci/deps/circle-310-arm64.yaml
index 869aae8596681..3aa6d541bc83b 100644
--- a/ci/deps/circle-310-arm64.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/circle-310-arm64.yaml
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ dependencies:
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer[toml]
   - cython>=0.29.33
-  - meson[ninja]=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson[ninja]=1.4.0
+  - meson-python=0.15.0
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/environment.yml b/environment.yml
index e7bf2556d27f8..641031e4c6d90 100644
--- a/environment.yml
+++ b/environment.yml
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ dependencies:
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer[toml]
   - cython~=3.0.5
-  - meson[ninja]=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson[ninja]=1.4.0
+  - meson-python=0.15.0
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 06623a305ab54..d4916f8c92182 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -4,11 +4,10 @@ project(
     'c', 'cpp', 'cython',
     version: run_command(['generate_version.py', '--print'], check: true).stdout().strip(),
     license: 'BSD-3',
-    meson_version: '>=1.2.1',
+    meson_version: '>=1.4.0',
     default_options: [
         'buildtype=release',
         'c_std=c11',
-        'warning_level=2',
     ]
 )
 
@@ -17,7 +16,6 @@ py = import('python').find_installation(pure: false)
 tempita = files('generate_pxi.py')
 versioneer = files('generate_version.py')
 
-
 add_project_arguments('-DNPY_NO_DEPRECATED_API=0', language : 'c')
 add_project_arguments('-DNPY_NO_DEPRECATED_API=0', language : 'cpp')
 
@@ -27,6 +25,22 @@ add_project_arguments('-DNPY_NO_DEPRECATED_API=0', language : 'cpp')
 add_project_arguments('-DNPY_TARGET_VERSION=NPY_1_21_API_VERSION', language : 'c')
 add_project_arguments('-DNPY_TARGET_VERSION=NPY_1_21_API_VERSION', language : 'cpp')
 
+if meson.get_compiler('c').get_id() == 'msvc'
+    # MSVC throws a lot of C4244 warnings around loss of data with warning_level=2
+    # On other compilers we would have to add -Wconversion to see these
+    # these expose a lot of potential issues in our code base
+    add_project_arguments(['/w'], language: 'c')
+    add_project_arguments(['/w'], language: 'cpp')
+else
+    args = ['-Wall', '-Wextra']
+    if build_machine.system() == 'darwin'
+        #  error: pragma diagnostic pop could not pop, no matching push
+        args += ['-Wno-unknown-pragmas']
+    endif
+    add_project_arguments(args, language: 'c')
+    add_project_arguments(args, language: 'cpp')
+endif
+
 
 if fs.exists('_version_meson.py')
     py.install_sources('_version_meson.py', subdir: 'pandas')
diff --git a/pandas/_libs/byteswap.pyx b/pandas/_libs/byteswap.pyx
index 67cd7ad58d229..f6ef7ae9e2ef4 100644
--- a/pandas/_libs/byteswap.pyx
+++ b/pandas/_libs/byteswap.pyx
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ from libc.string cimport memcpy
 
 def read_float_with_byteswap(bytes data, Py_ssize_t offset, bint byteswap):
     cdef uint32_t value
-    assert offset + sizeof(value) < len(data)
+    assert offset + sizeof(value) < <size_t>len(data)
     cdef const void *ptr = <unsigned char*>(data) + offset
     memcpy(&value, ptr, sizeof(value))
     if byteswap:
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def read_float_with_byteswap(bytes data, Py_ssize_t offset, bint byteswap):
 
 def read_double_with_byteswap(bytes data, Py_ssize_t offset, bint byteswap):
     cdef uint64_t value
-    assert offset + sizeof(value) < len(data)
+    assert offset + sizeof(value) < <size_t>len(data)
     cdef const void *ptr = <unsigned char*>(data) + offset
     memcpy(&value, ptr, sizeof(value))
     if byteswap:
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def read_double_with_byteswap(bytes data, Py_ssize_t offset, bint byteswap):
 
 def read_uint16_with_byteswap(bytes data, Py_ssize_t offset, bint byteswap):
     cdef uint16_t res
-    assert offset + sizeof(res) < len(data)
+    assert offset + sizeof(res) < <size_t>len(data)
     memcpy(&res, <const unsigned char*>(data) + offset, sizeof(res))
     if byteswap:
         res = _byteswap2(res)
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def read_uint16_with_byteswap(bytes data, Py_ssize_t offset, bint byteswap):
 
 def read_uint32_with_byteswap(bytes data, Py_ssize_t offset, bint byteswap):
     cdef uint32_t res
-    assert offset + sizeof(res) < len(data)
+    assert offset + sizeof(res) < <size_t>len(data)
     memcpy(&res, <const unsigned char*>(data) + offset, sizeof(res))
     if byteswap:
         res = _byteswap4(res)
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ def read_uint32_with_byteswap(bytes data, Py_ssize_t offset, bint byteswap):
 
 def read_uint64_with_byteswap(bytes data, Py_ssize_t offset, bint byteswap):
     cdef uint64_t res
-    assert offset + sizeof(res) < len(data)
+    assert offset + sizeof(res) < <size_t>len(data)
     memcpy(&res, <const unsigned char*>(data) + offset, sizeof(res))
     if byteswap:
         res = _byteswap8(res)
diff --git a/pandas/_libs/hashtable_func_helper.pxi.in b/pandas/_libs/hashtable_func_helper.pxi.in
index ca1b28b9442ca..3bba114bfe360 100644
--- a/pandas/_libs/hashtable_func_helper.pxi.in
+++ b/pandas/_libs/hashtable_func_helper.pxi.in
@@ -43,7 +43,13 @@ cdef value_count_{{dtype}}(const {{dtype}}_t[:] values, bint dropna, const uint8
         # Don't use Py_ssize_t, since table.n_buckets is unsigned
         khiter_t k
 
-        {{c_type}} val
+        # without explicit initialization the compiler detects that val could
+        # be uninitialized towards the end of this function
+        {{if dtype == 'object'}}
+        {{c_type}} val = None
+        {{else}}
+        {{c_type}} val = {{to_c_type}}(0)
+        {{endif}}
 
         int ret = 0
         bint uses_mask = mask is not None
@@ -105,7 +111,7 @@ cdef value_count_{{dtype}}(const {{dtype}}_t[:] values, bint dropna, const uint8
     cdef:
         int64_t[::1] result_counts = np.empty(table.size + na_add, dtype=np.int64)
 
-    for i in range(table.size):
+    for i in range(<Py_ssize_t>table.size):  # cast required for 32 bit builds
         {{if dtype == 'object'}}
         k = kh_get_{{ttype}}(table, result_keys.data[i])
         {{else}}
@@ -114,6 +120,8 @@ cdef value_count_{{dtype}}(const {{dtype}}_t[:] values, bint dropna, const uint8
         result_counts[i] = table.vals[k]
 
     if na_counter > 0:
+        if n <= 0:  # in this case val would be uninitialized
+            raise ValueError("Expected n > 0")
         result_counts[table.size] = na_counter
         result_keys.append(val)
 
diff --git a/pandas/_libs/include/pandas/vendored/klib/khash_python.h b/pandas/_libs/include/pandas/vendored/klib/khash_python.h
index 811fdd139de2c..a567c029e07f1 100644
--- a/pandas/_libs/include/pandas/vendored/klib/khash_python.h
+++ b/pandas/_libs/include/pandas/vendored/klib/khash_python.h
@@ -33,11 +33,9 @@ static void *traced_calloc(size_t num, size_t size) {
 }
 
 static void *traced_realloc(void *old_ptr, size_t size) {
+  PyTraceMalloc_Untrack(KHASH_TRACE_DOMAIN, (uintptr_t)old_ptr);
   void *ptr = realloc(old_ptr, size);
   if (ptr != NULL) {
-    if (old_ptr != ptr) {
-      PyTraceMalloc_Untrack(KHASH_TRACE_DOMAIN, (uintptr_t)old_ptr);
-    }
     PyTraceMalloc_Track(KHASH_TRACE_DOMAIN, (uintptr_t)ptr, size);
   }
   return ptr;
diff --git a/pandas/_libs/lib.pyx b/pandas/_libs/lib.pyx
index 00668576d5d53..ee6c1854526ba 100644
--- a/pandas/_libs/lib.pyx
+++ b/pandas/_libs/lib.pyx
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ except ImportError:
 
 @cython.wraparound(False)
 @cython.boundscheck(False)
-def memory_usage_of_objects(arr: object[:]) -> int64_t:
+def memory_usage_of_objects(arr: ndarray[object]) -> int64_t:
     """
     Return the memory usage of an object array in bytes.
 
@@ -3058,7 +3058,9 @@ def to_object_array_tuples(rows: object) -> np.ndarray:
 
 @cython.wraparound(False)
 @cython.boundscheck(False)
-def fast_multiget(dict mapping, object[:] keys, default=np.nan) -> "ArrayLike":
+def fast_multiget(dict mapping,
+                  ndarray[object, ndim=1] keys,
+                  default=np.nan) -> "ArrayLike":
     cdef:
         Py_ssize_t i, n = len(keys)
         object val
diff --git a/pandas/_libs/meson.build b/pandas/_libs/meson.build
index c27386743c6e9..1749dac0c4484 100644
--- a/pandas/_libs/meson.build
+++ b/pandas/_libs/meson.build
@@ -61,18 +61,18 @@ subdir('tslibs')
 libs_sources = {
     # Dict of extension name -> dict of {sources, include_dirs, and deps}
     # numpy include dir is implicitly included
-    'algos': {'sources': ['algos.pyx', _algos_common_helper, _algos_take_helper], 'deps': _khash_primitive_helper_dep},
+    'algos': {'sources': ['algos.pyx', _algos_common_helper, _algos_take_helper], 'deps': [_khash_primitive_helper_dep]},
     'arrays': {'sources': ['arrays.pyx']},
     'groupby': {'sources': ['groupby.pyx']},
     'hashing': {'sources': ['hashing.pyx']},
-    'hashtable': {'sources': ['hashtable.pyx', _hashtable_class_helper, _hashtable_func_helper], 'deps': _khash_primitive_helper_dep},
-    'index': {'sources': ['index.pyx', _index_class_helper], 'deps': _khash_primitive_helper_dep},
+    'hashtable': {'sources': ['hashtable.pyx', _hashtable_class_helper, _hashtable_func_helper], 'deps': [_khash_primitive_helper_dep]},
+    'index': {'sources': ['index.pyx', _index_class_helper], 'deps': [_khash_primitive_helper_dep]},
     'indexing': {'sources': ['indexing.pyx']},
     'internals': {'sources': ['internals.pyx']},
     'interval': {'sources': ['interval.pyx', _intervaltree_helper],
-                 'deps': _khash_primitive_helper_dep},
+                 'deps': [_khash_primitive_helper_dep]},
     'join': {'sources': ['join.pyx', _khash_primitive_helper],
-             'deps': _khash_primitive_helper_dep},
+             'deps': [_khash_primitive_helper_dep]},
     'lib': {'sources': ['lib.pyx', 'src/parser/tokenizer.c']},
     'missing': {'sources': ['missing.pyx']},
     'pandas_datetime': {'sources': ['src/vendored/numpy/datetime/np_datetime.c',
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ libs_sources = {
                                   'src/parser/io.c',
                                   'src/parser/pd_parser.c']},
     'parsers': {'sources': ['parsers.pyx', 'src/parser/tokenizer.c', 'src/parser/io.c'],
-                'deps': _khash_primitive_helper_dep},
+                'deps': [_khash_primitive_helper_dep]},
     'json': {'sources': ['src/vendored/ujson/python/ujson.c',
                          'src/vendored/ujson/python/objToJSON.c',
                          'src/vendored/ujson/python/JSONtoObj.c',
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ foreach ext_name, ext_dict : libs_sources
         ext_dict.get('sources'),
         cython_args: cython_args,
         include_directories: [inc_np, inc_pd],
-        dependencies: ext_dict.get('deps', ''),
+        dependencies: ext_dict.get('deps', []) + [np_dep],
         subdir: 'pandas/_libs',
         install: true
     )
diff --git a/pandas/_libs/tslib.pyx b/pandas/_libs/tslib.pyx
index d320bfdbe3022..b29252a5b8e51 100644
--- a/pandas/_libs/tslib.pyx
+++ b/pandas/_libs/tslib.pyx
@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ from pandas._libs.tslibs.conversion cimport (
 from pandas._libs.tslibs.dtypes cimport npy_unit_to_abbrev
 from pandas._libs.tslibs.nattype cimport (
     NPY_NAT,
-    c_NaT as NaT,
     c_nat_strings as nat_strings,
 )
 from pandas._libs.tslibs.timestamps cimport _Timestamp
@@ -347,39 +346,6 @@ def array_with_unit_to_datetime(
     return result, tz
 
 
-cdef _array_with_unit_to_datetime_object_fallback(ndarray[object] values, str unit):
-    cdef:
-        Py_ssize_t i, n = len(values)
-        ndarray[object] oresult
-        tzinfo tz = None
-
-    # TODO: fix subtle differences between this and no-unit code
-    oresult = cnp.PyArray_EMPTY(values.ndim, values.shape, cnp.NPY_OBJECT, 0)
-    for i in range(n):
-        val = values[i]
-
-        if checknull_with_nat_and_na(val):
-            oresult[i] = <object>NaT
-        elif is_integer_object(val) or is_float_object(val):
-
-            if val != val or val == NPY_NAT:
-                oresult[i] = <object>NaT
-            else:
-                try:
-                    oresult[i] = Timestamp(val, unit=unit)
-                except OutOfBoundsDatetime:
-                    oresult[i] = val
-
-        elif isinstance(val, str):
-            if len(val) == 0 or val in nat_strings:
-                oresult[i] = <object>NaT
-
-            else:
-                oresult[i] = val
-
-    return oresult, tz
-
-
 @cython.wraparound(False)
 @cython.boundscheck(False)
 def first_non_null(values: ndarray) -> int:
diff --git a/pandas/_libs/tslibs/conversion.pyx b/pandas/_libs/tslibs/conversion.pyx
index 3a55f5fa0c003..aa512dc1f9b00 100644
--- a/pandas/_libs/tslibs/conversion.pyx
+++ b/pandas/_libs/tslibs/conversion.pyx
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ def cast_from_unit_vectorized(
         int64_t m
         int p
         NPY_DATETIMEUNIT in_reso, out_reso
-        Py_ssize_t i
+        Py_ssize_t i = 0
 
     assert values.dtype.kind == "f"
 
diff --git a/pandas/_libs/tslibs/meson.build b/pandas/_libs/tslibs/meson.build
index 85410f771233f..9bcdf799659b8 100644
--- a/pandas/_libs/tslibs/meson.build
+++ b/pandas/_libs/tslibs/meson.build
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ foreach ext_name, ext_dict : tslibs_sources
         ext_dict.get('sources'),
         cython_args: cython_args,
         include_directories: [inc_np, inc_pd],
-        dependencies: ext_dict.get('deps', ''),
+        dependencies: ext_dict.get('deps', []) + [np_dep],
         subdir: 'pandas/_libs/tslibs',
         install: true
     )
diff --git a/pandas/_libs/tslibs/util.pxd b/pandas/_libs/tslibs/util.pxd
index e4ac3a9e167a3..a5822e57d3fa6 100644
--- a/pandas/_libs/tslibs/util.pxd
+++ b/pandas/_libs/tslibs/util.pxd
@@ -185,11 +185,11 @@ cdef inline const char* get_c_string(str py_string) except NULL:
     return get_c_string_buf_and_size(py_string, NULL)
 
 
-cdef inline bytes string_encode_locale(str py_string) noexcept:
+cdef inline bytes string_encode_locale(str py_string):
     """As opposed to PyUnicode_Encode, use current system locale to encode."""
     return PyUnicode_EncodeLocale(py_string, NULL)
 
 
-cdef inline object char_to_string_locale(const char* data) noexcept:
+cdef inline object char_to_string_locale(const char* data):
     """As opposed to PyUnicode_FromString, use current system locale to decode."""
     return PyUnicode_DecodeLocale(data, NULL)
diff --git a/pandas/_libs/window/meson.build b/pandas/_libs/window/meson.build
index ad15644f73a0c..f3adabe8e7a36 100644
--- a/pandas/_libs/window/meson.build
+++ b/pandas/_libs/window/meson.build
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ py.extension_module(
     ['aggregations.pyx'],
     cython_args: ['-X always_allow_keywords=true'],
     include_directories: [inc_np, inc_pd],
+    dependencies: [np_dep],
     subdir: 'pandas/_libs/window',
     override_options : ['cython_language=cpp'],
     install: true
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ py.extension_module(
     ['indexers.pyx'],
     cython_args: ['-X always_allow_keywords=true'],
     include_directories: [inc_np, inc_pd],
+    dependencies: [np_dep],
     subdir: 'pandas/_libs/window',
     install: true
 )
diff --git a/pandas/meson.build b/pandas/meson.build
index 435103a954d86..98007e5099a24 100644
--- a/pandas/meson.build
+++ b/pandas/meson.build
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
-incdir_numpy = run_command(py,
-  [
-    '-c',
-    '''
+# NumPy 2.0 can be detected with meson >= 0.14.0
+np_dep = dependency('numpy', required : false)
+
+if np_dep.found()
+    inc_np = []
+else
+    incdir_numpy = run_command(py,
+      [
+        '-c',
+        '''
 import os
 import numpy as np
 try:
@@ -12,12 +18,14 @@ try:
 except Exception:
     incdir = np.get_include()
 print(incdir)
-     '''
-  ],
-  check: true
-).stdout().strip()
+         '''
+      ],
+      check: true
+    ).stdout().strip()
+
+    inc_np = include_directories(incdir_numpy)
+endif
 
-inc_np = include_directories(incdir_numpy)
 inc_pd = include_directories('_libs/include')
 
 fs.copyfile('__init__.py')
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index f96fbee4a5818..3ca922463b53f 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 # Minimum requirements for the build system to execute.
 # See https://github.com/scipy/scipy/pull/12940 for the AIX issue.
 requires = [
-    "meson-python==0.13.1",
-    "meson==1.2.1",
+    "meson-python==0.15.0",
+    "meson==1.4.0",
     "wheel",
     "Cython~=3.0.5",  # Note: sync with setup.py, environment.yml and asv.conf.json
     # Any NumPy version should be fine for compiling.  Users are unlikely
diff --git a/requirements-dev.txt b/requirements-dev.txt
index 0cc064d2660bb..5df33123f5f31 100644
--- a/requirements-dev.txt
+++ b/requirements-dev.txt
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 pip
 versioneer[toml]
 cython~=3.0.5
-meson[ninja]==1.2.1
-meson-python==0.13.1
+meson[ninja]==1.4.0
+meson-python==0.15.0
 pytest>=7.3.2
 pytest-cov
 pytest-xdist>=2.2.0