CAME BY Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

came by

verb

past tense of come by

as in visited

to make a brief visit come by after work and I'll give you some clothes for the rummage sale

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in won

to receive as return for effort a literary award like that isn't easy to come by

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of came by 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 The discovery came by accident, said the study’s co-lead author Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz to NBC News. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026 The dystopia depicted in the ad came by way of George Orwell’s imagination, but the fears underlying it had deep American roots. — Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 3 Sep. 2026 Chris Barish, the co-owner, came by our table and stayed to tell stories, which is how the best dinners come to be. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026 This question came by way of a book called Éloge du risque by French philosopher Anne Dufourmantelle. — Brian Laidlaw, Longreads, 1 Sep. 2026 Then, in early June, a woman named Dominique Rice came by with a video crew. — Diamy Wang august 15, Charlotte Observer, 15 Aug. 2026 Several parents came by the school after the shooting, concerned about what happened inside. — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 The little worker with the broom came by, passed them, moved right along. — Sheila Heti, New Yorker, 26 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for came by

Verb

Switzerland's foreign ministry told The Associated Press on Friday that the woman, married to a Swiss diplomat in Nigeria, had not visited Congo and was believed to have contracted Ebola while traveling to Uganda.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Mann said he’s visited about 70 of the state’s counties during his campaign, talking to law enforcement and prosecutors.

— Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of visited

Verb

Meanwhile, national Republicans are attempting to mobilize the state’s conservative voters around Marshall in a state Trump won with 57% of the vote in 2024.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
In 2022, Lula summoned his old populist magnetism, built a coalition large enough to defeat Bolsonaro, and won a third term.

— Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of won

Verb

The quarterback Mike Macdonald has earned his paychecks from making quarterbacks uncomfortable.

— Sam McDowell October 25, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
On every floor, display cabinets overflow with magic wands, sparkly hats, silk scarves, handcuffs, dice, Rubik's Cubes, toys, photographs and dozens of trophies earned by students in competitions all over the world.

— Julie Bourdin, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of earned

Verb

The Rams amassed over 400 total yards, gained 30-plus first downs, scored five touchdowns, converted 50 percent of their third downs, and committed zero turnovers against the Bills.

— Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Amazon — The e-commerce giant gained more than 1% after Morgan Stanley named it a top pick and raised its price target.

— Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of gained

Verb

The bar then placed a $5,000 bet on Kalshi that the then-underdog Knicks would win, and a $13,500 payout meant the bar not only paid off its patrons’ tabs, but also reaped a $8,500 profit.

— Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
Under-21s manager Rob Page, who Wright is enjoying working with, has reaped the benefits of the striker’s excellent form.

— Andy Jones, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2026