come-on
noun
inducement; lure.
come-on
American
[kuhm-on, -awn]
/ ˈkʌmˌɒn, -ˌɔn /
noun
Slang.
-
come-ons
plural
come on
British
verb
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(of power, a water supply, etc) to become available; start running or functioning
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to make or show progress; develop
my plants are coming on nicely
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to advance, esp in battle
-
to begin
she felt a cold coming on
a new bowler has come on
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theatre to make an entrance on stage
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to be considered, esp in a court of law
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(preposition) See come upon
-
-
hurry up!
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cheer up! pull yourself together!
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make an effort!
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don't exaggerate! stick to the facts!
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-
to attempt to give a specified impression
he came on like a hard man
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to make a forceful or exaggerated impression
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informal to make sexual advances to
noun
come on
Idioms
-
Move forward, progress, develop. For example, We stopped as soon as darkness began to come on . [Early 1600s]
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Hurry up, as in Come on now, it's getting late . This imperative to urge someone forward has been so used since about 1450.
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Also, come upon . Meet or find unexpectedly, as in We came on him while walking down the street , or I came upon an old friend in the bookstore today . [Second half of 1700s]
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Make a stage entrance, as in After the next cue she comes on from the right . [Early 1800s]
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Please oblige me, as in Come on, that's no excuse for leaving , or Come on, you'll really like this restaurant . [ Colloquial ; first half of 1900s]
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Convey a specific personal image, as in He comes on like a go-getter but he's really rather timid . [ Slang ; c. 1940]
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Also, come on strong . Behave or speak in an aggressive way, as in Take it easy; you're coming on awfully strong . [c. 1940]
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Also, come on to . Make sexual advances, as in She reported her boss for coming on to her . This usage probably was derived from the earlier use of the noun come-on for a sexual advance. [ Slang ; 1950s]
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of come-on
1895–1900, noun use of verb phrase come on
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.
See Examples For:
But the usual come-on of the cult is that its members are special.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
"Many people, in good faith, misconstrue what I'm saying, and they think I'm trying to do a sort of come-on to the camera. And I really am not," she told food podcast Sporked.
From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2026
“An American in Paris”: “It’s jet-propelled New Year’s Eve and everyone in Paris will be there,” says Gene Kelly to Nina Foch — well, who could resist a come-on like that?
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 30, 2022
This advertising come-on makes you think you are getting a good deal, but you pay for the product and receive the rebate only after the purchase is complete.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 27, 2022
Most iv th' people iv this wurruld is a come-on f'r science, but I'm not.
From Observations By Mr. Dooley by Dunne, Finley Peter
It felt like a potential sign of things to come on a night goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek, 24, midfielder Aladji Bamba, 20 and forward Toure, 20, made their debuts and 18-year-old Steur impressed from the bench.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
But consider that, for one year, that 6.9% price increase has come on top of a tailing distribution rate of 8.82%, which is based on the current price.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
More sulphate processing plants were expected to come on line by the time the ban on lithium concentrate exports comes into force in January 2027, he said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
When you throw the switch, you want the light to come on; America’s abundant energy and mineral resources ensure it will.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
“Hey. You should come on Tuesday. For Avery and my birthday thing. I’d like you to come.”
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
A key element of the meme market was an influx of young individual investors enthralled by get-rich-quick trading come-ons.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2025
The credit-repair network that functioned as a pyramid scheme by recruiting nearly half a million agents, mostly on social media, with come-ons like, “Who needs negative items removed from their credit report permanently???”
From New York Times ● Jun. 7, 2023
But the report found those promises are often used as “bait and switch” come-ons.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 8, 2022
To preempt such a calamitous outcome, unorthodox come-ons are being trotted out.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 9, 2021
The jingle of ricksha bells blended with car horns, the come-ons of street peddlers, a woman’s laughter, music from a nearby bar.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
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.
