phrasal verb · neutral

come across

UK/kʌm əˈkrɒs/US/kʌm əˈkrɔːs/come a·CROSS

speakingtask2

to find something by chance; to give a particular impression

Examples

I came across an interesting study while researching my essay.

He comes across as confident in interviews.

The phrase came across several times in the newspaper.

Band 8 sentence

While collecting sources for my dissertation, I came across several archival documents that changed my argument.

Collocations

  • come across research/article
  • come across as + adjective
  • come across a problem

Word family

come verbcame across phrasal verb (past)coming across gerund/participle

Common mistakes

I came across to a mistake in the text.I came across a mistake in the text.

He came across like very shy.He came across as very shy.

I was come across an article yesterday.I came across an article yesterday.

Say it for a higher band

5find6run into7+come across

Synonyms

find

seem

Easily confused

run into

I ran into my former teacher at the conference.

find

She found a rare book in the library catalog.

Related words

Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.

In come …

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