come upon

British  

verb

1. (intr, preposition) to meet or encounter unexpectedly

   I came upon an old friend in the street today

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come upon Idioms  

1. see come across, def. 1; come on, def. 3.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

come upon

“It is from contrary opinions,” Mr. Brown writes, “that we often come upon insight, balance, and unexpected perspective.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 29, 2025

So many people talk about how you wait for inspiration to come upon you: You wake up on a sunny day, you open the window and you’re like, “Oh, my God, I got it!”

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 16, 2025

He added that he has "an awful lot of sympathy for the staff members who would have had to come upon that scene and how distressing that must have been".

From BBC ● Nov. 28, 2025

Keep in mind: These lessons can apply to almost anybody who has come upon a significant sum — say, through an inheritance or by selling a business.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 12, 2025

He shared his fear that his boy might come upon them if he joined his father, and his determination to protect Peter.

From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker

Related Words

• bump into
• come across