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 of come by

• 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

Housekeeping comes by twice daily to ensure that rooms are tidy and well-stocked. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

The truest sign that Joseph had tripped the Rams up with Hufanga’s blitz came by looking at Rams right guard Kevin Dotson. — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Notification can come by email or text with a link to the customer’s account, or by telephone. — Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026

The wings come by the pound, the dips come in tubs, and the platters are sized for a living room packed with fans. — Danielle Bouchard, Martha Stewart, 26 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for come by

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

Kids Definition

come by

verb

1

: to make a visit

come by after dinner

2

: acquire

good help is hard to come by