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to come along

to come along

53 2.9
To get better or improve over time
  • phrasal verb
  • /kʌm əˈlɔŋ/
: avanzar
  • She has been practicing every day, and her skills are finally coming along nicely.

And also that is coming along too, yes.

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Examples

  • If we act quickly, this kind of opportunity doesn't come along every day.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • At any rate, as the summer was coming along, we got little indications.

  • And also that is coming along too, yes.

  • It's coming along, it's coming along, it's coming along.

  • But it is coming along for sure.

  • Yay, stuff is coming along now.

  • How's it coming along so far?

  • So how's your writing coming along, are you a poet yet?

  • But she said it with affection and was plainly happy to come along.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • "From what her sister tells me, she's coming along pretty well," Brendon told him.

    Fiction book (1992)

Synonyms

to come
vsto come along
∞ 1.1

Make progress or improve in a situation

focuses on positive improvement rather than implying success or social harmony
to get on
vsto come along
  • UK
418 3.2

Make progress with a project

is the same in meaning but differs only in phrasing or collocation
to advance
vsto come along
382 3.4

To help something move forward or become better

describes development itself rather than actively causing another thing to improve
to progress
vsto come along
205 2.5

Move forward or get better over time

focuses on development without stressing gradual timing or speed
to get along
vsto come along
58 2.1

Manage or do well in a situation

leans toward positive development rather than mere coping or staying functional
improving
vsto come along
53 1.4

Becoming better over time

refers to the active process of developing and making progress rather than a static state
to shape up
vsto come along
48 3.2

Start to get better and more complete

is equivalent in sense but differs only in idiomatic expression
to come on
vsto come along
24 3.2

Start to get better

is identical in meaning and differs only in wording or phrasal form

Antonyms

357 3.9

A gradual loss in amount, quality, or value

26 7.5

To return to an earlier, less developed or worse state

How Far

to flourish
113 4.1
to come along
53 2.9
progress
∞ 2.5
to improve
∞ 1.0
to develop
∞ 1.6

Surface Forms

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

Morphology

come + along

The sense 'to appear or become available' is directly derivable from 'come' (to arrive or happen) combined with 'along' (onward/alongside), yielding the straightforward meaning 'arrive/turn up'. This follows a common motion-verb + particle pattern in English and is predictable for learners who know both constituents.

Etymology

Come along may come from the simple image of someone moving forward on a road: come means to move and along shows moving with the path. So when a project or skill 'comes along' it moves forward and gets better, which is why it means 'to develop' or 'make progress'.