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to come

to come

1.5
Enter your mind without effort
  • verb
  • /kʌm/
translation icon : venir a la mente
  • Then, in desperation, it came to me that Anna's grandparents may know something.
  • come to mind
  • ideas come to mind
  • thoughts come to mind

Movie ideas don't come to me as an idea.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • You know, they start to they start to come to some sort of awareness.

  • Write down the first ten words that come into your mind when you see the picture.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Finally, it came to me what it was.

  • Write down all the ideas that come up, even the ones you know immediately are bad ones.

    Academic text (2011)
  • What thoughts come, what images come, and we can let go.

  • I'll say something and you say the first word that comes to your mind.

  • Jot the top five benefits that come to mind on a sheet of paper.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Suddenly, an old memory began to come back to me as I looked through the photo album.

  • When you least expect it, a brilliant idea may come to you during your studies.

  • During meditation, I often let thoughts come and go without trying to hold onto them.

Synonyms

to come to
vsto come
546 3.1

Suddenly have an idea or memory

is used more for plain recall or suggestion without insight emphasis
to occur
vsto come
339 2.4

Come into someone's mind suddenly or unexpectedly

is more neutral and focuses on recall without stressing unexpectedness
to come to mind
vsto come
120 3.0

To suddenly think of something or remember it

is the shorter single-word form used more often in speech
to spring to mind
vsto come
8 3.4

To come quickly into your head without trying

is about entering the mind without stressing immediate speed

Antonyms

1.0

Not remember something you should remember

Idioms

come on
  • Informal
5.4

Say it to show disbelief, irritation, or to urge someone

46 4.4

Start thinking and acting in a sensible way again after being foolish or upset

A thing you wanted for a long time that finally happens

To tell people you are gay, lesbian, or bisexual

20 5.2

To return to the original place or situation after many changes

20 7.2

To appear suddenly after being hidden or not active

17 4.3

To be a normal and unavoidable part of a job or situation

To help someone who is in trouble or danger

15 5.5

Become successful or active again after a long time away

15 5.3

Say this when you suddenly remember or think of something

kingdom come
  • Informal
12 8.6

A state after death or when something is completely destroyed

to kingdom come
  • Informal
11 9.4

Says that it is sent far away or completely destroyed

Bad actions or words cause trouble for the person who did them later

To begin to use your skills and get recognition

5 5.9

Reach a point where the result is not decided until the last moment

5 8.3

No matter what happens or how difficult it is

come what may
  • Literature
5 6.3

No matter what happens

To fall apart or stop working properly after being stable

To become more confident and willing to talk to other people

3 8.5

For a very long time that seems to never end

2 7.0

A secret or problem becomes known later

to come up roses
  • Informal
2 6.0

Turn out very well for someone

To fail badly or have a sudden problem

To return to a safe or accepted group after being left out

Bad things you did before cause problems now

1 7.3

A very welcome surprise like getting gifts before Christmas

Saying this shows you have just remembered something related

To hope to get rich without doing anything

To rain very heavily

A warning that bad behavior on a work trip can lead to punishment at work when you return

To make a final move to win at an important moment

Make up something without thinking or good reason

To tell other people that you practice witchcraft or Pagan beliefs after keeping it secret

Act in a proud, fake way to impress others

come to papa
  • Informal
9.9

An excited shout when someone really wants something before they get it

To have very bad luck at an important time

To help when needed, especially in a difficult situation

Deal with problems one at a time as they happen

Even more serious problems will happen in the future

8.6

For a very long time, possibly forever

Things that rise will later fall, for example prices or fortunes

Phrasal Verbs

1.0

Have origins in a place, family or social group

1.3

To return to how it was before

1.0

To enter a room or building

2.7

To think of an idea or plan

3.1

Reach a decision or understanding

3.2

To think of an idea or plan

919 1.3

To return to a previous subject or point

902 2.4

To arrive and be received, for example news or donations

896 2.6

To be mentioned in a discussion

830 2.9

To become known to people after being hidden

571 2.2

To move from below to a higher place, like a diver rising to the surface

563 3.0

To become available to the public, for example when a book or album is released

546 3.1

Suddenly have an idea or memory

526 2.3

To appear or become visible, for example when the sun shines through clouds

520 1.7

To move closer to a person or place

to come by
  • Informal
506 3.9

Visit someone at home without calling first

365 2.5

Start to work, like lights or heating

362 1.0

To happen in real life, especially a wish or dream

361 4.0

To depend on the main point

351 3.8

To depend on one main thing

342 3.2

To offer help or information, often to the police

311 3.8

Wake up after being unconscious

276 2.9

Add up to a certain total

Join with others to work for the same goal

to come up
  • Specialized
262 3.5

To start working after being switched on

244 2.6

To find something or someone by chance

232 3.3

To finish in a particular position in a race or contest, for example second

221 2.8

To become lower, for example temperature or prices

218 3.4

To get through a hard time and be okay

217 6.5

To tell people you are gay, lesbian, or transgender

184 2.2

To go up to someone to speak to them

183 3.0

To appear or arrive when you do not expect it

164 1.3

A thing included with a product as a usual extra, for example a charger with a phone

131 3.5

To become loose and fall off

129 1.3

To fall from the sky, as rain, snow, or ash

128 3.9

A result that happens because of something, for example more work after a promotion

127 3.2

Get something, often by luck or after effort

125 2.9

To get better or improve over time

120 3.0

To suddenly think of something or remember it

119 3.2

Start to get better

117 3.0

To happen after something else, often as a result

106 3.9

To seem to other people in a particular way

106 2.4

To finish in a particular way in a competition or event

105 4.0

To happen, often by chance or without planning

105 3.9

To receive money or property unexpectedly, often after someone dies

99 3.1

To seem a certain way to other people when you say or show something

To happen earlier than another thing in time or position

93 4.3

To become ill with a disease like a cold

to come clean
  • Informal
92 4.1

To say the truth about something you kept secret

87 2.3

To be the most important thing and have the highest priority

To accept a difficult situation or agree with someone after talking

82 2.1

Begin to appear or become visible

to come home
  • Informal
82 5.0

An idea or fact finally feels very clear and real to someone

To change your mind and accept something you first refused

To be useful in a certain situation

To accept a difficult or unpleasant situation

To be heard or read clearly

72 2.9

To be almost as good as something in quality or amount

to come on over
  • Informal
70 2.6

To go to someone's home when they invite you to visit

to come back
  • Informal
67 4.1

To reply quickly and strongly to a remark

To seem to other people in a particular way

Begin to seem full of life, like a place with people around

63 4.1

Happen as planned and go well

56 3.7

Become lively and full of activity or interest

56 1.8

To move closer in space or time

To become known after being hidden

51 1.4

Move closer or begin to arrive, often gradually

51 2.8

To nearly do or experience something but fail to do it

50 2.2

To find something or someone by chance

To become available very recently, for example a book or film

49 3.6

To become the next person in a job or position

To move through something from one side to the other

Seem to other people in a certain way

Compounds

615 7.9

A small hand movement that asks someone to move closer

27 3.6

The time that comes after now

come-on
  • NSFW
12 7.4

Something meant to attract someone, like a compliment or an ad

2 9.1

A person who recently joined a group and is seen as a newcomer

1 8.9

A time when someone faces a hard truth and decides to change what they do

9.9

A serious meeting where people speak honestly to fix problems

come-all-ye
  • Archaic
9.8

An event open to everyone where people are welcome to come

9.9

A look or signal asking someone to join you in bed

A regular routine before bed that helps you relax

People get things in the order they arrive, with no reservations

How Quickly

to come
1.5
to occur
339 2.4

Surface Forms

come infinitive
coming present participle
comes third person singular
came past
come past participle

Etymology

Come is also used for thoughts because an idea can 'arrive' in the mind, so when something 'comes to you' it simply 'appears' or is remembered without trying.