arrive

1 of 2

verb

ar·​rive ə-ˈrīv 

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 

: one who has risen rapidly to success, power, or fame

Phrases

arrive at

: to reach by effort or thought

arrived at a decision

Synonyms

Verb

• appear
• come
• get in
• get through
• land
• show up
• turn up

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

Trump kicks off Middle East tour President Donald Trump has arrived in Saudi Arabia for the start of three days of summits in the Middle East, blending business and diplomacy. —Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA Today, 14 May 2025

The crucial moments in most biographies tend to arrive early, when a life begins to deviate from those around it — those moments when the future forks, when there’s a sheep-versus-goat separation. —Dwight Garner, New York Times, 13 May 2025

Noun

The news of the single arrives after Stokes’ recent solo show at Largo at the Coronet in Los Angeles, which featured guest appearances by Courtney Barnett and Flight of the Conchords’ Bret McKenzie. —Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 2025

The 30-year-old arrives in London on a break from filming a TV project in Scotland, excited about an upcoming holiday with his girlfriend and two children. —Thomas Smith, Billboard, 24 Apr. 2025

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

Rhymes for arrive

• alive
• archive
• beehive
• connive
• contrive
• deprive
• derive
• revive
• survive
• dive
• drive
• five

Kids Definition

arrive

verb

ar·​rive ə-ˈrīv 

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

informal : to be successful