come about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "come about" is correct and usable in written English.
It is an idiomatic expression that means "to happen or occur," and is commonly used in the present perfect tense. Example sentence: "The change in company policy came about after several months of discussion."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

How that's come about?

The New York Times

How did "Citizen" come about?

The New Yorker

How has this metamorphosis come about?

The New York Times

How did this Indian edition come about?

The New York Times

How did "Satyamev Jayate" come about?

The New York Times

"That utopian world didn't come about.

The New York Times - Arts

How did this show come about?

The New York Times

How did this idea come about?

The New York Times

How, then, did these species come about?

The New Yorker

But how might that come about?

The Economist

How did this remarkable transformation come about?

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "come about" to describe how a situation or event started or developed. For example, "The partnership came about through a mutual connection."

Common error

Avoid using "come about" in the continuous tense. It's more appropriate to use simple past (came about) or present perfect (has come about) to describe a completed occurrence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "come about" primarily functions as an intransitive verb phrase. Ludwig AI confirms this usage and the examples provided illustrate it describing how events or situations originate or occur. It is commonly used to inquire about or explain the development of something.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Science

24%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "come about" is a versatile and frequently used intransitive verb phrase that signifies the occurrence or origin of an event or situation. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and broad applicability. It’s most commonly found in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business contexts. When writing, remember that it's best used in the simple past or present perfect tenses and should be used to clarify how something began or developed. For alternatives, consider "take place", "occur", or "happen". By following these guidelines, you can confidently and effectively use "come about" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

take place

This phrase is a more direct synonym, focusing on the event happening.

occur

This alternative is a formal and concise way of saying something happened.

happen

A general and simple term for an event taking place.

arise

This suggests something comes into existence or begins to be noticed.

emerge

Implies a gradual appearance or development.

transpire

A more formal way to say something happened, often used in official contexts.

develop

Focuses on the process of something unfolding or evolving.

materialize

Indicates something becoming real or actual.

result

Focuses on the outcome or consequence of something.

spring up

Suggests something appearing suddenly and quickly.

FAQs

How can I use "come about" in a sentence?

You can use "come about" to describe how something happened or originated. For example, "How did this opportunity "come about"?" or "The agreement came about after lengthy negotiations."

What does "come about" mean?

"Come about" means to happen, occur, or take place. It is often used to inquire about the origin or cause of an event or situation.

What can I say instead of "come about"?

You can use alternatives like "happen", "occur", "take place", or "arise" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "came about" or "come about"?

Both "came about" and "come about" are correct, but they are used in different tenses. "Came about" is the simple past tense (e.g., "The change came about quickly"), while "come about" is the base form (e.g., "How did it "come about"?") or part of the present perfect tense (e.g., "It has "come about" as a result of...").