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to come across as

to come across as

65 3.7
To seem to other people in a particular way
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : dar la impresión de
  • People say exactly what they think, and sometimes that can come across as a bit harsh.
  • come across as rather

Both of them will lose here if they come across as too aggressive.

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Examples

  • He doesn't mean to, but he often comes across as arrogant in conversations.

  • In her presentation, she really came across as knowledgeable and well-prepared.

  • To get the job, you need to come across as committed to the practice of law.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Both of them will lose here if they come across as too aggressive.

  • You know, I think DeSantis is coming across as neither of those things.

  • Christian-right candidates are advised to come across as concerned parents rather than as representatives of the religious right.

    Academic text (1994)
  • I don't want to come across as ungrateful, but it's just a lot to process.

  • He's very urbane and comes across as extremely sophisticated.

  • As the movie opens, Hurt's George Gulden comes across as a monumental figure.

    Academic text (2007)
  • During the interview, you should try to come across as confident and enthusiastic.

Synonyms

to appear
vsto come across as
2.0

To seem to be true but not certain

emphasizes other people's perception rather than mere seeming or truth
to come across
vsto come across as
106 3.9

To seem to other people in a particular way

focuses on how others see it rather than on interpretation
to come off as
vsto come across as
49 4.1

Seem to other people in a certain way

is about appearing to others rather than actively causing the impression

How Favorable

to appear
2.0
to come across as
65 3.7

Surface Forms

come across as infinitive
come across as past participle
coming across as present participle
comes across as third person singular

Morphology

come + across + as

The meaning 'to appear or be perceived' is related to 'come' (arrive) plus the spatial/encounter sense of 'across', so a learner who knows the parts might infer a sense of being encountered or presenting oneself; however the particle meaning is metaphorical and the full construction 'come across as + adj/NP' and its pragmatic use is not fully predictable from the literal words. Because the particle 'across' and the role of 'as' shift the meaning beyond straightforward composition, the expression is only partially transparent to B1 learners.

Etymology

The phrasal verb come across as comes from the simple image of someone coming across into a room and meeting people, where others notice how they look and act. That's why it means 'to appear' or 'be seen as' a certain way.