arrive

1 of 2

verb

ar·​rive ə-ˈrīv How to pronounce arrive (audio)
arrived; arriving

intransitive verb

1
a
: to reach a destination
The train arrived late.
b
: to make an appearance : to come upon the scene
The crowd became silent when the officers arrived.
2
: to be near in time : come
The moment has arrived.
3
informal : to achieve success
After years of climbing the corporate ladder, he felt he had finally arrived.
4
archaic : happen
arriver noun

arrivé

2 of 2

noun

ar·​ri·​vé ˌa-ri-ˈvā How to pronounce arrivé (audio)
: one who has risen rapidly to success, power, or fame
Phrases
arrive at
: to reach by effort or thought
arrived at a decision

Examples of arrive in a Sentence

Verb He arrived home at six o'clock. We had some dinner before arriving at the station. When do you expect them to arrive in Boston? Their flight is due to arrive at 11:30. The train from New York is now arriving. They arrived late at the party. The mail hasn't arrived yet. The new version of the software has finally arrived in stores. There's always a lot to do when spring arrives. When is their baby expected to arrive?
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Sara, the escort, arrives, confident and in control. Callum McLennan, Variety, 8 Mar. 2024 Through January of this year, 138,000 Haitians had already arrived out of 144,000 approved to travel through the process, according to federal government data. Michael Wilner, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 But in two hours on this Wednesday afternoon, no customers had arrived. Ashley Ahn, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Spring storm season has arrived, which means hail — a threat to roofs, cars, and solar panels across North Texas. Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2024 The potential formal alliance of the organizations arrives with the backdrop a big slump in the pace of job gains in the Bay Area as well as outright job losses for the region’s all-important tech industry. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 On a recent afternoon, Abdul-Alim arrives with former Howard chess club president Malik Castro-DeVarona to challenge Russell at his apartment. Clarence Williams, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 About 12 hours after the water stopped running in this reporter's apartment building, a truck arrived carting a water tank. Emily Green, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024 The George and Tammy star, 46, arrived in a custom Giorgio Armani Privé black lace gown featuring a plunging scalloped neckline. Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 25 Feb. 2024
Noun
Once the summer of 2026 arrives, the Pac-12 must have at least eight members or lose recognition as an official conference. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2024 Spring-like weather will bloom across Dallas-Fort Worth Thursday and Friday before thunderstorms with possible hail arrive and rain falls on the weekend, according to the forecast from the National Weather Service Fort Worth office. David Montesino, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2024 When you and your beloved arrive at the room or suite of your choice, roses, Champagne, a custom note from you, and a suite of gifts from Graff will be displayed. Devorah Lev-Tov, Robb Report, 13 Feb. 2024 That means less moisture, and the moisture that does come arrives in the Pacific Northwest, more than in California. Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2024 In the end, Nefer arrives at church still pregnant and gets through her confession without confessing anything. S. C. Cornell, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2023 This one, however, arrives cloaked not in the silky trappings of Victorian costume drama, but the dark shadows of midcentury American noir. Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 30 Nov. 2023 Their sixth full-length arrives February 23 via Domino. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Nov. 2023 As 11:11 arrives, eight of its songs appear the Hot R&B Songs chart, including six debuts. Trevor Anderson, Billboard, 22 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'arrive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English ariven, arriven "to reach the end of a journey by sea, disembark, reach a destination," borrowed from Anglo-French ariver, arriver "to bring (a person, a ship) to shore, to reach a destination by ship, disembark" (also continental Old French), going back to Vulgar Latin *arrīpāre, parasynthetic derivative from Latin ad rīpam "up to the shore, at the shore" from ad "to, at" + rīpam, accusative of rīpa "bank, shore"; (sense 3) borrowed from French arriver (attested in this sense since the 18th century) — more at at entry 1, river

Noun

borrowed from French, past participle of arriver "to reach a destination, achieve success," going back to Old French ariver "to reach a destination by ship" — more at arrive entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1866, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of arrive was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near arrive

Cite this Entry

“Arrive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arrive. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

arrive

verb
ar·​rive ə-ˈrīv How to pronounce arrive (audio)
arrived; arriving
1
: to reach the place one started out for
arrive home at six o'clock
2
: come sense 4
the time arrived to begin
3
: to be successful

More from Merriam-Webster on arrive

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