come upon
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
To discover or find, especially by chance or accident.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Phát hiện hoặc tìm thấy, đặc biệt là bằng cơ hội hoặc tai nạn
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
We came upon the skeleton while we were hiking.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
To befall; to affect; to happen to.
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “come upon” mean?
To discover or find, especially by chance or accident.
Is “come upon” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.