come across

verb

came across; come across; coming across; comes across
Synonyms of come acrossnext

intransitive verb

1
: to give over or furnish something demanded
especially : to pay over money
2
: to produce an impression
comes across as a good speaker
3
: come through sense 2

transitive verb

: to meet, find, or encounter especially by chance
Researchers have come across important new evidence.

Synonyms of come across

Relevance
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Examples of come across in a Sentence

the law professor comes across as a bit of an ogre at first, but he's actually quite personable
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Political analysts say the comments from top Republicans risk coming across as tone-deaf to voters struggling with high prices. — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026 Powell had been following dog adoption and rescue accounts on social media and came across a cute pup at the Labelle Foundation in Los Angeles. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Aug. 2026 Circana’s survey found that 35% of Gen Z and millennials come across new nonalcoholic beverages on social media. — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2026 So when The Dog Stars came across his desk, Scott wasn’t familiar with Peter Heller’s novel. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for come across

Word History

First Known Use

1775, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of come across was in 1775

Rhymes for come across

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Browse Nearby Words

come a cropper
come across
come across as
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Come across.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/come%20across. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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