how come?

Idioms  

1. How is it that, as in How come you're not attending the conference? Sometimes how come follows a statement and asks the question “why” or “in what way,” as in You're not going? How come? The related phrase how so? functions the same way, as in You say she's changed her mind—how so? How come is short for how did it come about that and dates from the mid-1800s; how so, short for how is it so or how is it that, dates from about 1300.

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Example Sentences

So if “we’re just going to say that historically it needs to look like it always looked, how come those features fall out?”

From Slate • Mar. 23, 2026

Filmmakers seem to take a special pleasure in depicting an apocalyptic future for Los Angeles — how come?

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 10, 2025

Mr King said he also had questions over the judicial decision-making process, including: "Why did it get to this and how come it dragged on for two years?"

From BBC • Oct. 23, 2024

I just wanna scream from the rooftops, "Then how come no one can find a job?"

From Salon • Jul. 28, 2024

I asked how come I had to wait.

From "Crenshaw" by Katherine Applegate