come-on

1 of 2

noun

ˈkəm-ˌȯn 

-ˌän

1

: something (such as an advertising promotion) intended to entice or allure

2

: a usually sexual advance

come on

2 of 2

verb

came on; come on; coming on; comes on

intransitive verb

1

a

: to advance by degrees

darkness came on

b

: to begin by degrees

rain came on toward noon

2

a

: please

—used in cajoling or pleading

b

—used interjectionally to express astonishment, incredulity, or recognition of a put-on

3

: to project an indicated personal image

comes on as a conservative

4

: to show sexual interest in someone

also : to make sexual advances

—usually used with to

tried to come on to her

Synonyms

Noun

• allurement
• bait
• enticement
• lure
• siren song
• temptation
• turn-on

Examples of come-on in a Sentence

Noun

the spectacular sale was enough of a come-on to get many shoppers to try the store for the first time

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

That come-on, ostensibly from a bank, had an attachment laced with a Trojan. —IEEE Spectrum, 24 Mar. 2013

Not long after, Holt turned down a come-on from the producer Howard Hughes. —Justin Curto, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024

Verb

Symptoms for respiratory viruses tend to come on much sooner than tuberculosis. —Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2025

The Multi-Terrain Monitor popped up on the 14-inch touchscreen infotainment display in the tester and once engaged, comes on whenever the vehicle is going less than 10 miles per hour. —Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1902, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Legal Definition

come on

intransitive verb

: to be brought forward (as a case in court)

the first prize case of the war…came on for trial

—W. G. Young