Synonyms of come-onnext
1
: something (such as an advertising promotion) intended to entice or allure
2
: a usually sexual advance

come on

2 of 2

verb

came on; come on; coming on; comes on

intransitive verb

1
a
: to advance by degrees
darkness coming on
b
: to begin by degrees
The rain came on toward noon.
2
a
: please
used in cajoling or pleading
Come on, just one more time.
b
used interjectionally to express astonishment, incredulity, or recognition of a put-on
Come on, do you expect me to believe that?
3
: to project an indicated personal image
comes on as a conservative
4
: to show sexual interest in someone
also : to make sexual advances
usually used with to
tried to come on to me

Examples of come-on in a Sentence

Noun the spectacular sale was enough of a come-on to get many shoppers to try the store for the first time
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.
Noun
Instead, legislators wrote themselves a tidy little political come-on. Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026 Some of those same Splice samples wound up on U, which feels as much like a monument to music-making as the interpersonal stumbles and suggestive come-ons that populate the beats. Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 28 May 2026
Verb
Months later, the track comes on somewhere else, and suddenly Iowa is back in the room. Svetlana Khachiyan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 Know More Concerns over DR Congo’s ability to turn committed financing into actual investment come on top of growing criticism over other delays in disbursing proceeds. Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for come-on

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1902, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of come-on was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Come-on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/come-on. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

Legal Definition

come on

intransitive verb
: to be brought forward (as a case in court)
the first prize case of the war…came on for trialW. G. Young
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