come and go
Idioms-
Arrive and depart, either briefly or repeatedly; go to and fro. Shakespeare had it in The Merry Wives of Windsor (2:2): “He may come and go between you both.” [Late 1300s]
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Alternately appear and disappear, as in This rash is odd; it comes and goes . [Mid-1300s] Also see coming or going ; easy come, easy go .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As corporate rivalries intensify, compatible services may come and go.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
Langer has seen a lot of these projects come and go, including many that get abandoned after a promising start.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
"The bees now come and go and feel settled," he said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
Individuals, unstable moments and unfortunate episodes come and go.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
I perch on one of the couches, watching people come and go.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
