come by

verb

came by; come by; coming by; comes by

transitive verb

: to get possession of : acquire
a good job is hard to come by

intransitive verb

: to make a visit
came by after dinner

Examples of come by in a Sentence

come by after work and I'll give you some clothes for the rummage sale a literary award like that isn't easy to come by
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Patience is always hard to come by in Toronto. Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025 But now, in the twilight of his career, the comebacks are getting harder to come by. Peter Kiefer, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2025 A good long-wear, transfer-proof eyeliner is hard to come by. Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2025 Genuine celebrity relatability may be hard to come by these days, but Nicole Kidman’s bangs are a prime example. Grace McCarty, Glamour, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for come by

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of come by was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Come by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/come%20by. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

come by

verb
1
: to make a visit
come by after dinner
2
: acquire
good help is hard to come by
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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