how come?

Idioms

How is it that, as in How come you're not attending the conference? Sometimes how come follows a statement and asks the question “why” or “in what way,” as in You're not going? How come? The related phrase how so? functions the same way, as in You say she's changed her mind—how so? How come is short for how did it come about that and dates from the mid-1800s; how so, short for how is it so or how is it that, dates from about 1300.

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.

“Boy, Grandpa, that’s a lot of money. How come they’re offering such a big reward for a bunch of little old monkeys?”

From Literature

“How come this old man feels sorry for them?”

From Literature

“How come you didn’t sell anything? Did this professor have something to do with it?”

From Literature

“Grandpa,” I asked, “how come that animal trainer wrote to you?”

From Literature

“Please! I’m too sick to go through any Red Cross business this time. I don’t believe I could stand it. I thought that you went to the store with Mama and Papa. You always do. How come you didn’t go this time?”

From Literature

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