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

Synonyms

• be
• befall
• betide
• chance
• come
• come down
• come off
• cook
• do
• go down [slang]
• go on
• hap
• happen
• occur
• pass
• transpire

Examples of come about in a Sentence

how did all this come about?

Recent Examples on the Web

Jones’ bankruptcy and the liquidation of his assets came about after he was ordered to pay nearly $1.5 billion to relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. —Dave Collins, Fortune, 25 Nov. 2024

The swift selection of Bondi came about six hours after Gaetz withdrew. —Eric Tucker, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024

The commemorative coins came about 10 years after former President Barack Obama proposed to place Tubman on the $20 bill. —Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 12 Nov. 2024

The first iteration of Veterans Day came about Nov. 11, 1919, when President Woodrow Wilson designated it as a day to honor the veterans of World War I, though it was then known as Armistice Day. —Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 8 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

come about

verb

1

: happen sense 2

2

: to change direction

the wind has come about into the north