AAAmerican Accent US

come across

Inseparable

The verb and particle never split. The object always follows the whole phrase.

How to say it

Stress the particle, not the verb: come ACROSS. Saying “COME across” is the clearest learner tell — the verb stays light and the particle carries the beat.

Link across the gap. The final /m/ of “come” moves onto the particle and starts its syllable: “come across” is said “co-macross”. Pausing between the words is what makes phrasal verbs sound recited rather than spoken.

2 meanings

  1. 1

    To find or meet something by chance.

    • “I came across an interesting article while browsing the web.”
    • “We came across an old photo album in the attic.”

    Similar: stumble upon, run into

  2. 2

    To give a particular impression to other people.

    • “He comes across as arrogant, but he's actually just shy.”
    • “How did I come across in the interview?”

    Similar: seem, appear

Don’t confuse it with

come up withTo produce or invent an idea or solution.

Come ACROSS is finding something by accident. Come UP WITH is inventing something on purpose.

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Hear “come across” spoken naturally

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More COME phrasal verbs

Compare the whole family →

come up with

To produce or invent an idea or solution.

come up

(Of a topic or problem) to arise.

come back

To return to a place.

come down with

To start to have an illness, usually a minor one.

come over

To visit someone's home.

come out

To become known or be published.

come in

To enter a place.

come along

To accompany someone.

come around

To change your mind and accept something.

come off

To become detached.

come apart

To fall into pieces.

come between

To damage the relationship between two people.

come across — meaning, examples & how to say it