come about

verb

came about; come about; coming about; comes about

intransitive verb

1

: happen

2

: to change direction

the wind has come about into the north

3

: to shift to a new tack

Synonyms

• be
• befall
• betide
• chance
• come
• come down
• come off
• cook
• do
• go down [slang]
• go on
• hap
• happen
• occur
• pass
• transpire

Examples of come about in a Sentence

how did all this come about?

Recent Examples on the Web

How did that concept come about and getting him on the show? —Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 May 2024

Many people assume that the devastating impacts humans have wrought on our planet came about with the industrial era, which began in the mid-1700s. —Todd Braje, The Conversation, 16 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

come about

verb

1

: happen sense 2

2

: to change direction

the wind has come about into the north