Phrase guide

have it coming

verb · 2 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To deserve or merit, as the consequences of one's actions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • You had that coming (to you).

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

deserve (either good or bad)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • It's too bad he got fired, but he sure had it coming

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: deserve, merit

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: zasloužit si — to deserve or merit
  • Finnish: olla jollekulle oikein — to deserve or merit
  • Finnish: ansaita — to deserve or merit
  • French: le chercher — to deserve or merit
  • German: es verdient haben — to deserve or merit
  • Hebrew: הִגִּיעַ לוֹ (higgía' lo) — to deserve or merit
  • Hungarian: rászolgál — to deserve or merit
  • Polish: doigrać się — to deserve or merit
  • Spanish: ya merecérselo — to deserve or merit
  • Spanish: bienhecho — to deserve or merit
  • Spanish: bienhechito — to deserve or merit
  • Ukrainian: напрошуватися (naprošuvatysja) — to deserve or merit