# come about

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/come-about
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to happen or take place, especially when you did not plan for it.

For teachers: to happen or occur; often used to describe the genesis or development of a situation or event.

## Examples

- 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "How did the accident come about it?" but "How did the accident come about?" — this phrasal verb is intransitive and cannot take an object.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.