come by lately

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "come by lately" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when inquiring about someone's recent visits or interactions. Example: "Have you come by lately to check on the progress of the project?"

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

But wins have been difficult to come by lately.

The New York Times - Sports

Smiles have been hard to come by lately for the Knicks.

The New York Times - Sports

Time seems to be harder to come by lately, but when I can find some, I still relish taking the subway to an unfamiliar stop and discovering what the surrounding streetscape has to offer.

The New York Times - Arts

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Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

But substantial technical progress would be needed to meet that — and lately it has been hard to come by.

The New York Times

The intellectual property organization has come under scrutiny lately by critics who say it is biased in favor of trademark holders.

The New York Times

By Nancy Franklin Chelsea come lately: with good looks and grossness, the E! host has muscled her way into the boys-only comedy club.

The New Yorker

Russell Roberts, a professor of economics at George Mason University, writes in one of the more intriguing genres we've come across lately: that of the economic novel, or the economic romance, as his books have been described by his publishers.

The New Yorker

"I'm tired of these debunkers coming by my office and saying, 'Hey, Nickell, seen any ghosts lately?

The New Yorker

In June, we met at the east Austin location of Hoover's Cooking, where the owner came by to say hello and our waitress asked Judge where he'd been lately.

The New York Times - Magazine

He wasn't a Johnny come lately.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "come by lately" when you want to emphasize that something has become available or accessible in the near past. For example, "Wins have been difficult to "come by lately"", indicates a recent shift in the ease of achieving victories.

Common error

Avoid using "come by lately" in contexts where a literal physical arrival is expected. This phrase typically refers to abstract concepts like opportunities, progress, or emotions, not physical locations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "come by lately" functions as an idiomatic expression, typically acting as part of a predicate to describe the recent availability or accessibility of something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's used to indicate that something has been acquired or experienced recently. The examples from news sources demonstrate its use in discussing abstract concepts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "come by lately" is an idiomatic expression used to describe something that has become available or accessible recently, often implying a degree of difficulty in obtaining it. As Ludwig AI points out, it's grammatically correct and frequently found in news and media sources. While not overly formal, it is appropriate for a range of contexts. Alternatives such as "obtained recently" or "acquired recently" can be used for a more formal tone. It's important to avoid literal interpretations, as this phrase typically refers to abstract concepts rather than physical arrivals.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

visited recently

Focuses on the act of visiting, emphasizing the recency.

stopped by recently

Implies a brief and recent visit.

happened recently

Emphasizes the recency of an event or occurrence.

acquired recently

Focuses on the recent acquisition of something.

obtained lately

Similar to acquired, but with a slightly more formal tone.

found recently

Highlights the recent discovery of something.

experienced lately

Focuses on a recent experience or feeling.

occurred lately

Similar to happened recently, but slightly more formal.

arrived recently

Emphasizes the recent arrival of someone or something.

emerged recently

Highlights the recent emergence or appearance of something new.

FAQs

What does "come by lately" mean?

The phrase "come by lately" means something has been acquired or experienced recently, often implying it was difficult to obtain. It's not about a physical arrival, but more about gaining access to something abstract.

How can I use "come by lately" in a sentence?

You can use "come by lately" to describe things that have become available or accessible recently. For example, "Good news has been hard to "come by lately"", indicating positive information has been scarce.

What are some alternatives to "come by lately"?

Alternatives to "come by lately" include "obtained recently", "acquired recently", or "happened recently", depending on the specific context.

Is "come by lately" formal or informal?

"Come by lately" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although more formal alternatives might be preferred in academic writing.