Come up with meaning
Come up with means to think of an idea, a plan or an answer. It can also mean to find money or something else that is needed.
come up with something
come up with · came · come · coming
She came up with a great name for the shop.
Come up with meanings and examples
2 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Think of an idea, a plan or an answer
come up with something
- She came up with a great name for the shop.
- We need to come up with a plan by Friday.
- Who came up with this idea?
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2
Find money or something else that is needed
come up with something
- We have to come up with £500 by Monday.
- Can you come up with the money in time?
- They couldn’t come up with the rent last month.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use come up with in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is come up with separable?
Come up with is not separable. The idea or plan comes at the end: come up with a plan, come up with it.
Come up with is for new ideas, not for things you remember. Say I can’t remember his name, not I can’t come up with his name.
Verb tenses for come up with
| Present | I come up with · she comes up with |
|---|---|
| Past | came up with |
| Present perfect | have come up with |
| -ing form | coming up with |
Common mistakes with come up with
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: She came up a good idea.
Right: She came up with a good idea.
You need with before the idea.
Wrong: He came up with to leave early.
Right: He came up with the idea of leaving early.
Use a noun after with.
Wrong: Who invented this idea?
Right: Who came up with this idea?
You invent machines. You come up with ideas.
Synonyms and opposites of come up with
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- think ofhave an idea, often quickly
- inventmake something new, like a machine
- suggesttell others your idea
Opposite
- run out of ideashave no more ideas
- copyuse someone else’s idea
Come up with quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1We need a name for the dog. Can you ___ one?
Come up with means think of an idea.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Say come up with plus the idea.
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3The landlord wants the rent today, but Tom can’t ___ the money.
Come up with money means find it.
More phrasal verbs with come
All phrasal verbs with come, by level, with an exercise
15 phrasal verbs start with come. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
- come fromA1be born in, or live in, a place
- come backA2return to the place where you are or the speaker is
- come inA2enter a room or building, towards the speaker
- come downA2move down to a lower place, towards the speaker
- come outB1become available to buy, watch or read, like a book or film
- come overB1visit someone at their home
- come onB1tell someone to hurry or to try harder
- come aroundB1visit someone at their home
- come alongB1go somewhere with someone
- come offB1become separated from the thing it was fixed to
- come acrossB2find or meet something or someone by chance
- come upB2be mentioned or talked about
- come apartC2break into pieces
- come throughC2arrive or be officially approved, like a visa or results
Come up with FAQ
Questions people ask about come up with.
What is the difference between come up with and think of?
They are close. Think of can be quick: I thought of you. Come up with suggests making a new idea or plan, often with some effort.
Is come up with formal?
It is neutral and very common at work. In formal writing, devise or propose may fit better.
What is the difference between come up and come up with?
Come up means happen or be mentioned: A problem came up. Come up with means think of something: We came up with an answer.
Use come up with in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.