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

Examples of come about in a Sentence

how did all this come about?
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.
How did the Paris-to-L.A. handover special come about? Paul Grein, Billboard, 23 June 2025 The decision to renew the FilmLA contract comes about a month after Mayor Karen Bass issued a directive aimed at undoing some of the red tape around local production. Katie Campione, Deadline, 20 June 2025 Machado had worked out a theory for how regime change could come about in Venezuela. Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 20 June 2025 But in Dylan-esque fashion, MGK declined to give a straight answer as to how the collaboration came about. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for come about

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Come about.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/come%20about. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

come about

verb
1
2
: to change direction
the wind has come about into the north
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!