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

Synonyms

• visit
• run in
• drop by
• drop in

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

As is the case with many Charlotte restaurants that have recently opened, weekend reservations are hard to come by at Leluia Hall. —Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 1 Aug. 2025

All rights reserved Efforts to streamline federal permitting processes related to energy projects of all types have been long promised by officials in both the executive and congressional branches of government, but real progress has been hard and slow to come by. —David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025

Term papers are due at the end of the week, and extensions are hard to come by. —Moira Gleason, National Review, 24 July 2025

Rooms are adorned in English wallpaper and pops of color, and the restaurant, Charlie’s, serves a Sunday roast where roast beef comes by the trolley. —Vogue, 23 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for come by

• abscissae
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi
• certify

Kids Definition

come by

verb

1

: to make a visit

come by after dinner

2

: acquire

good help is hard to come by