phrasal verb · formal

come of age

/kʌm əv ˈeɪdʒ/come of AGE

task2speaking

to reach maturity or gain full status/recognition

Examples

The company really came of age in the 1990s when it expanded internationally.

She came of age last year and can now vote.

The movement came of age after it successfully influenced government policy.

Band 8 sentence

By the end of the decade the technology sector had come of age, attracting serious long-term investment from global firms.

Collocations

  • come of age as an industry/movement/company
  • come of age legally

Word family

come of age basecame of age past

Common mistakes

He come of age last year.He came of age last year.

The company comes of age in 1990s.The company came of age in the 1990s.

Say it for a higher band

5be mature6grow up7+come of age

Synonyms

mature

reach adulthood

Easily confused

mature

After years of innovation, the industry finally came of age.

Related words

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In come …

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