Phrase guide

come up

noun · verb · 28 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

An opportunity

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, intransitive

Examples

  • Unless anything comes up, I'll be there every day this week.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To be revealed to have a certain value, quality, or status.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • The movie didn't come up to our expectations.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To come to attention and present oneself; to arrive or appear.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • At some point in the conversation my name came up, and I readily agreed to their proposition.
  • Be ready for when your turn comes up.
  • The proposal came up before the committee.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To appear (before a judge or court).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • He came up before a judge and was fined a thousand dollars.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To draw near in time.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • The summer holidays are coming up.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To approach a time or scheduled event.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • We're coming up on the interview in the last half-hour of the program.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To reach in height.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • You have to come up to here to ride this roller-coaster.
  • He only comes up around this high.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To rise (above the horizon).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • It'll be warmer once the sun comes up.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To begin to feel the effects of a recreational drug.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, intransitive, slang

Examples

  • I could tell from her expression that she was coming up already.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

To arrive at the university. (Compare go down, send down.)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, intransitive

Qualifier: Oxford University

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

verb

Meaning 12

To happen or occur.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, slang

Qualifier: African-American Vernacular

Examples

  • His shift came up, so he had to go to work.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

verb

Meaning 13

To grow up; to experience a childhood.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, slang

Qualifier: African-American Vernacular

Examples

  • I came up in Baltimore.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

verb

Meaning 14

To do well or be successful.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, slang

Qualifier: African-American Vernacular

Examples

  • Watch out for him, he's been coming up lately.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

verb

Meaning 15

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see come, up.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I came up the ladder carefully, holding the bucket in my right hand.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

16

verb

Meaning 16

To come towards; to approach.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • I was standing on the corner when Nick came up and asked for a cigarette.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

17

verb

Meaning 17

result or issue

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • A slight unpleasantness arose from this discussion

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: arise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: happen, hap, go on, pass off, occur, pass, fall out, come about, take place

Narrower terms: condense, open, open up, come up

18

verb

Meaning 18

gather or bring together

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • muster the courage to do something
  • she rallied her intellect
  • Summon all your courage

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: muster, rally, summon, muster up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: gather, garner, collect, pull together

19

verb

Meaning 19

gather (money or other resources) together over time

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She had scraped together enough money for college
  • they scratched a meager living

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: scrape, scrape up, scratch

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: roll up, collect, accumulate, pile up, amass, compile, hoard

Narrower terms: nickel-and-dime

20

verb

Meaning 20

start running, functioning, or operating

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the lights went on
  • the computer came up

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: go on, come on

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: start, go, get going

21

verb

Meaning 21

bring forth, usually something desirable

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The committee came up with some interesting recommendations

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: generate, bring forth

22

verb

Meaning 22

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He came singing down the road
  • Come with me to the Casbah
  • come down here!
  • come out of the closet!
  • come into the room

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: come

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: travel, go, move, locomote

Narrower terms: emanate, address, accost, come up to, approach, come near, near, come on, go up, draw near, draw close

23

verb

Meaning 23

move upward

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The fog lifted
  • The smoke arose from the forest fire
  • The mist uprose from the meadows

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: rise, lift, arise, move up, go up, uprise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: travel, go, move, locomote

Narrower terms: scend, surge, climb, climb up, mount, go up, soar, soar up, soar upwards, zoom, rocket, skyrocket, bubble, uplift, chandelle, steam, rise, come up, uprise, ascend

24

verb

Meaning 24

come up, of celestial bodies

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The sun also rises
  • The sun uprising sees the dusk night fled...
  • Jupiter ascends

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: rise, uprise, ascend

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rise, lift, arise, move up, go up, come up, uprise

25

verb

Meaning 25

come to the surface

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: surface, rise up, rise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: ascend, go up

Narrower terms: emerge, resurface, bubble up, intumesce, well, swell

26

verb

Meaning 26

get something or somebody for a specific purpose

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I found this gadget that will serve as a bottle opener
  • I got hold of these tools to fix our plumbing
  • The chairman got hold of a secretary on Friday night to type the urgent letter

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: line up, get hold, find

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: get, acquire

27

verb

Meaning 27

originate or come into being

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a question arose

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: arise, bob up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: become

28

verb

Meaning 28

be mentioned

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • These names came up in the discussion

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: arise, come up

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

72 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: طَلَعَ (ṭalaʕa) — non-idiomatic
  • Arabic: طلع (ṭiliʕ) — non-idiomatic
  • Belarusian: падыма́цца (padymácca) — non-idiomatic
  • Belarusian: падніма́цца (padnimácca) — non-idiomatic
  • Belarusian: падня́цца (padnjácca) — non-idiomatic
  • Chinese Mandarin: 上來 /上来 (shànglái) — non-idiomatic
  • Finnish: nousta — non-idiomatic
  • Finnish: tulla ylös — non-idiomatic
  • German: heraufkommen — non-idiomatic
  • Ancient Greek: ἀναβαίνω (anabaínō) — non-idiomatic
  • Hungarian: feljön — non-idiomatic
  • Japanese: 上がる (agaru) — non-idiomatic
  • Japanese: 登る (noboru) — non-idiomatic
  • Korean: 올라오다 (ollaoda) — non-idiomatic
  • Romagnol: avșinêr — non-idiomatic
  • Romagnol: abșinêr — non-idiomatic
  • Russian: поднима́ться (podnimátʹsja) — non-idiomatic
  • Russian: подня́ться (podnjátʹsja) — non-idiomatic
  • Ugaritic: 𐎓𐎍𐎊 (ʿly) — non-idiomatic
  • Ukrainian: підніма́тися (pidnimátysja) — non-idiomatic
  • Ukrainian: підійма́тися (pidijmátysja) — non-idiomatic
  • Ukrainian: підня́тися (pidnjátysja) — non-idiomatic
  • Belarusian: падыхо́дзіць (padyxódzicʹ) — to come towards
  • Belarusian: падысці́ (padyscí) — to come towards
  • Finnish: tulla luokse — to come towards
  • Finnish: lähestyä — to come towards
  • Finnish: ilmestyä — to come towards
  • French: s'approcher — to come towards
  • German: herankommen — to come towards
  • Hungarian: odajön — to come towards
  • Polish: podchodzić — to come towards
  • Polish: podejść — to come towards
  • Russian: подходи́ть (podxodítʹ) — to come towards
  • Russian: подойти́ (podojtí) — to come towards
  • Ukrainian: підхо́дити (pidxódyty) — to come towards
  • Ukrainian: підійти́ (pidijtý) — to come towards
  • Finnish: ilmetä — to emerge, become known
  • Finnish: ilmaantua — to emerge, become known
  • Finnish: nousta esiin — to emerge, become known
  • French: se montrer — to emerge, become known
  • French: sortir du bois — to emerge, become known
  • Greek: προκύπτω (prokýpto) — to emerge, become known
  • Hungarian: felmerül — to emerge, become known
  • Hungarian: közbejön — to emerge, become known
  • Italian: venire fuori — to emerge, become known
  • Italian: emergere — to emerge, become known
  • Italian: venire alla luce — to emerge, become known
  • Spanish: salir a relucir — to emerge, become known
  • Finnish: nousta esille — to come to attention, present itself
  • Finnish: tulla — to come to attention, present itself
  • German: erscheinen — to come to attention, present itself
  • Hungarian: felmerül — to come to attention, present itself
  • Spanish: salir a relucir — to come to attention, present itself
  • Finnish: esiintyä — to appear before court
  • French: produire — to appear before court
  • Hungarian: megjelenik — to appear before court
  • Polish: stawić — to appear before court
  • Polish: stawiać — to appear before court
  • Finnish: lähestyä — to draw near in time
  • German: bevorstehen — to draw near in time
  • Hungarian: közeledik — to draw near in time
  • Polish: zbliżyć — to draw near in time
  • Polish: zbliżać — to draw near in time
  • Polish: nadejść — to draw near in time
  • Polish: nadchodzić — to draw near in time
  • Finnish: nousta — to rise above the horizon
  • Hungarian: feljön — to rise above the horizon
  • Polish: wzejść — to rise above the horizon
  • Polish: wschodzić — to rise above the horizon
  • Finnish: nousta päähän — to begin to feel the effects of a recreational drug
  • French: monter — to begin to feel the effects of a recreational drug
  • Finnish: tulla yliopistolle — to arrive at the university