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Synonyms

come upon

British  

verb

  1. (intr, preposition) to meet or encounter unexpectedly

    I came upon an old friend in the street today
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
come upon Idioms  

  1. see come across, def. 1; come on, def. 3.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Suddenly we rounded a corner and came upon a giant fallen tree.

From Literature

He remembered a Boy Scout hike once where his troop had come upon a clear shallow stream.

From Literature

We also came upon one of the new interpretive signs that were to be dedicated Friday, including one with a photo of Mike and Patricia as young adults “Making a Difference.”

From Los Angeles Times

Some felt comforted because something was being done to solve the problem that had come upon them so unexpectedly to spoil the calm progression of their days.

From Literature

I came upon a story on Fox11 about a broader whistle brigade in Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.