come by

USAGE SUMMARY

"come by" is a correct and usable expression in written English.
It is most commonly used to mean "to come to a place" or "to happen to be in a place". For example, "I come by my friend's house every Friday for dinner."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Come by tomorrow.

The New York Times

He didn't come by.

The New York Times

Hard to come by.

The New York Times - Sports

Solzhenitsyn did not come by.

The New Yorker

Come by smoke-inhalation wing.

The New Yorker

Sleep hard to come by.

The New York Times - Sports

"Luck doesn't come by itself.

The New York Times - Sports

Money was hard to come by.

The Economist

He had to come by that night".

The New Yorker

Money is harder to come by now.

The New York Times

Control is hard to come by.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "come by" when you want to suggest a casual or unplanned visit. For a more formal context, consider "visit" or "arrive".

Common error

Ensure you use the correct word order: "come by", not "by come". The latter is grammatically incorrect in standard English.

Linguistic Context

The phrasal verb "come by" primarily functions as an intransitive verb indicating movement to a specific location or as a transitive verb suggesting acquisition or attainment. Ludwig examples illustrate its versatility, supporting its role in various sentence structures.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "come by" is a versatile phrasal verb primarily used to indicate a visit or the act of obtaining something. Ludwig's analysis confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread use, particularly in news and media. While generally informal, it adapts well to various contexts, though more formal settings might benefit from alternatives like "visit" or "obtain". Remember to maintain the correct word order ("come by", not "by come") to avoid grammatical errors. Based on the examples provided, "come by" is a very common term and is used across many contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

visit

A direct synonym, focusing on the act of going to see someone or something.

drop in

Implies a casual, often unplanned visit.

stop by

Similar to "drop in", but can also refer to a brief visit for a specific purpose.

swing by

Suggests a quick and informal visit, often while on the way to somewhere else.

pop in

Indicates a very brief and often spontaneous visit.

call in

Focuses on the act of visiting in response to a request or invitation.

arrive

A more general term for reaching a destination.

get hold of

Emphasizes obtaining something, rather than physically visiting.

acquire

Formally indicates to gain or obtain

procure

Emphasizes the effort involved in obtaining something.

FAQs

What does "come by" mean?

"Come by" can mean to visit a place or to obtain something. The meaning depends on the context.

What can I say instead of "come by" when inviting someone?

You can use phrases like "drop in", "stop by", or "visit".

How to use "come by" in a sentence?

You can say, "Please come by my office tomorrow" or "A loyal friend is hard to come by".

Is "come by" formal or informal?

"Come by" is generally considered informal. For more formal situations, use "visit" or "arrive".