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Synonyms

come forward

British  

verb

  1. to offer one's services; volunteer

  2. to present oneself

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
come forward Idioms  

  1. Present oneself, offer one's services, as in The boss asked for more help, but no one was inclined to come forward. [Early 1800s]

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.

According to the museum, the goal is not only display but transparency: to make visible objects whose ownership history remains incomplete and to encourage potential heirs or claimants to come forward.

From Salon • May 9, 2026

Det Ch Insp Ruby Burrow said there was no indication at this stage of any ongoing threat to the wider public and asked for witnesses to come forward.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

Riverside County authorities have said they believe there may be more cases and urged anyone with information to come forward.

From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2026

Beere said the department had heard reports that some of the people who fled from police were injured, and he encouraged them to come forward.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

Everyone strained their necks to see if a Jew would come forward to take the king’s offer.

From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz

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.