upon coming back

USAGE SUMMARY

"upon coming back" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is commonly used as a prepositional phrase to indicate the timing or cause of an action. Example: Upon coming back from my vacation, I was greeted with a pile of work to catch up on. In this sentence, "upon coming back" specifies the timing of the speaker's return from vacation and sets the context for the following clause. Other examples: - Upon seeing the beautiful sunset, we decided to take a stroll along the beach. (Timing) - Upon realizing her mistake, she immediately apologized. (Cause) - Upon hearing the news, he couldn't contain his excitement. (Cause).

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Upon coming back to Britain from his posting in Manila, he stayed with his mistress during the week, returning to his wife at the family home in Warminster on weekends.

The Guardian

He didn't finish his schooling in the UK all the way through but upon coming back to India he wanted to join the air force but his father suggested that he was not of the correct age to do so anymore.

Stanford University

Upon coming back to work from my three-month maternity leave, it was clear things were not working as planned.

Forbes

He said Guede told him he had gone to the bathroom and upon coming back he had seen his friend holding Miss Kercher to the ground.

BBC

Upon coming back to life, he says, "That is not good.

Vice

That data, however, does not capture many of the Afghan veterans who released from service upon coming back to Canada.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

If you wake up every morning and your day depends upon the weather, if your life depends upon going out and coming back safe, and bringing food and traveling, then you're naturally much more attentive and in tune to the environment.

Science Magazine

LaFleur says it is "a dire relief" to have the seawall completed, and suggests that the Corps stop studying the Avoca Island levee and extend it several miles south — to prevent the floods of the Atchafalaya from going around the levee's tip and coming back upon the town.

The New Yorker

It was an Iraqi who got word to the Americans, Bush administration officials said, launching a mission that included Marine Corps artillery to distract enemy soldiers and Army Rangers securing the hospital grounds while Navy Special Operations forces, called Seals, extracted Private Lynch while being fired upon going in and coming back out.

The New York Times

But, for all the opprobrium heaped upon them, vanity projects keep coming back to haunt moviegoers – literally in the case of Yucatan, a dialogue-free cine-poem that was left unrealised on his death by actor Steve McQueen and is currently being developed by McG.

The Guardian - Film

Coming back?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "upon coming back", ensure the sentence clearly indicates who or what is returning and from where. For example: Upon coming back from vacation, John felt refreshed.

Common error

Avoid using "upon coming back" in informal contexts where simpler alternatives like "after returning" or "when I got back" would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "upon coming back" functions as a prepositional phrase introducing a clause that specifies the timing or condition under which an action occurs. Ludwig provides examples demonstrating its use to set the scene for an event following a return.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "upon coming back" is a grammatically sound and useful phrase for indicating an action that occurs directly after a return. As highlighted by Ludwig, this phrase is more common in neutral to formal writing, such as news articles and academic papers. While perfectly acceptable, it may sound out of place in very informal conversations where simpler alternatives may be preferrable, Ludwig provides various contextual examples and related phrases, such as "after returning" or "on returning", to aid in choosing the most appropriate wording.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

after returning

Focuses on the action of returning as a prerequisite for what follows.

on returning

Emphasizes the moment of return as the trigger for subsequent events.

when returning

Highlights the temporal aspect of the return.

after the return

Emphasizes the completion of the return process.

following the return

A more formal way of saying after the return.

once back

A shorter, more informal way to express the idea of returning.

subsequent to returning

A formal alternative emphasizing the sequence of events.

reverting to

Implies a return to a previous state or condition.

resuming after

Highlights the resumption of an activity after a break.

after the arrival back

Focuses on the arrival portion of returning

FAQs

How can I use "upon coming back" in a sentence?

Use "upon coming back" to indicate the timing or cause of an action that occurs after someone or something returns. For example: "Upon coming back from the store, I realized I had forgotten the milk."

What phrases are similar to "upon coming back"?

You can use alternatives like "after returning", "on returning", or "when returning", depending on the context.

Is "upon coming back" formal or informal?

"Upon coming back" is generally considered a more formal expression. In informal settings, you might prefer phrases like "after getting back" or "when I got back".

What's the difference between "upon coming back" and "after coming back"?

While both phrases are similar, "upon coming back" often implies a more immediate or direct consequence following the return, whereas "after coming back" is a more general statement about something happening at some point following the return.