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.
Rothschild said her direct support providers, who are paid through a Medicaid waiver, come by for one to three hours, four to five days a week, to help her cook, clean, shop and organize. Kayla Jimenez, USA Today, 19 July 2025 The idea and rhetoric of energy dominance has its roots in the first Trump administration, although a formal definition for the phrase is hard to come by. ArsTechnica, 16 July 2025 Some of them talked about their despondency, their sense of being trapped in the relentless cycle of the tour, in which meaning can be hard to come by; even the best have to grow accustomed to disappointment. Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 14 July 2025 Of their 12 regular season victories, nine came by one possession. Dj Siddiqi, Forbes.com, 14 July 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 25 Jul. 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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