come about
phr. v.. B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford
phr. v.. to happen or take place, especially when you did not plan for it.
phr. v.. to happen or occur; often used to describe the genesis or development of a situation or event.
How did this change come about?
The opportunity to work in Japan came about through a chance meeting at a conference.
Historians are still debating how such a radical shift in public opinion could have come about in such a short period of time.
Usage
intransitive; it does not take a direct object.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'happen' by explaining that 'come about' often implies a process or a series of events led to the result.
Pitfall
How did the accident come about it?How did the accident come about?this phrasal verb is intransitive and cannot take an object.