came down with

USAGE SUMMARY

"came down with" is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used to describe when someone is suddenly taken ill with a particular illness or disease. For example, "After visiting the amusement park, Kristen came down with the flu."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"I came down with everything I have".

The New York Times - Sports

And indeed, he came down with malaria.

The New York Times

She came down with chickenpox.

The Guardian - Travel

Then, I came down with thyroid storm.

Harvard University

Tyree came down with the ball.

The New York Times - Sports

He also came down with terrible flu.

The Guardian - Books

I came down with a bad cold.

The New Yorker

Then I came down with the flu.

The New York Times - Sports

"Christ came down with some Pine-Sol".

The New Yorker

Rodriguez said his brother also came down with conjunctivitis.

The New York Times

Janet suddenly came down with pneumonia and was all alone.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "came down with" when describing the sudden onset of an illness or disease. Ensure the context clearly indicates a health issue.

Common error

Avoid using "came down with" in situations that don't involve illnesses. For instance, don't say "He came down with a brilliant idea"; instead, use phrases like "He had a brilliant idea" or "He conceived a brilliant idea".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "came down with" functions as a verb phrase, specifically an idiomatic phrasal verb. According to Ludwig AI, it indicates the sudden onset of an illness or condition. The examples show its direct application to describe the start of a sickness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

25%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "came down with" is a common idiomatic phrase used to describe the onset of an illness. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and widely used. While suitable for general conversation and news reporting, more formal or scientific contexts might benefit from using more precise medical terms. The phrase primarily functions to inform others about someone's illness. It appears most frequently in News & Media and Academic sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

became ill with

A more literal way to express the same idea, avoiding the idiom.

contracted

Replaces the idiomatic phrase with a single verb, focusing on the act of getting an illness.

acquired

A more formal way to say 'came down with' that indicates reception of something (disease, quality, etc.).

caught

An informal way to describe becoming infected.

developed

Similar to "contracted" but can also be used for non-illness related situations.

picked up

Similar to "caught", but slightly more casual.

was afflicted with

Highlights the suffering caused by the illness.

was stricken with

Emphasizes the sudden and negative impact of the illness.

succumbed to

Implies a yielding or defeat by the illness.

befell

This expresses occurrence, but it implies some catastrophic happening.

FAQs

What does "came down with" mean?

The phrase "came down with" is an idiomatic expression that means to become ill with a particular disease or ailment. It implies that the illness has manifested, and the person is now experiencing symptoms.

How to use "came down with" in a sentence?

You can use "came down with" in a sentence to describe someone becoming sick. For example, "After the trip, she "came down with" a bad cold" or "He "came down with" the flu after being exposed to someone who was ill".

What can I say instead of "came down with"?

You can use alternatives like "contracted", "developed", or "became ill with" depending on the context.

Is "came down with" formal or informal?

"Came down with" is generally considered a neutral to informal expression. While perfectly acceptable in everyday conversation and writing, more formal contexts might benefit from alternatives like "contracted" or "developed".