# come in for

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

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

## Definition

to receive something unpleasant, like criticism or blame, from other people.

For teachers: to be the object of or to receive something, typically negative reactions such as criticism, blame, or abuse.

## Examples

- The government will come in for a lot of criticism.
- The director has come in for some harsh words after the movie failed at the box office.
- The CEO is likely to come in for intense scrutiny from the board of directors following the recent data breach.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The plan came in criticism." but "The plan came in for criticism." — the full three-part verb 'come in for' is required to connect the subject to the thing being received.

## Usage notes

- almost always used with negative nouns like criticism, blame, scrutiny, or abuse.
- Teaching tip: this is a three-part phrasal verb; help students remember it by associating it with 'receiving' a delivery of negative feedback.

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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.