ENGLISH
REFERENCE

come up with sth

phr. v..
B1 Intermediate Oxford

phr. v.. to think of an idea, a plan, or an answer to a problem.

phr. v.. to produce or suggest something, such as an idea or a solution, through mental effort.


SIMPLE

She needs to come up with a better plan.

CONTEXTUAL

The marketing team had to come up with a new slogan before the product launch next week.

COMPLEX

Despite the limited budget, the engineers managed to come up with a revolutionary cooling system that outperformed all previous models.

Particles
up with
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
come + up + with + object
Usage

usually followed by an abstract noun like 'idea', 'plan', 'solution', or 'excuse'.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'think of'; 'come up with' implies a process of creation or problem-solving rather than just a sudden memory.

Pitfall

He came up a great idea.He came up with a great idea.the preposition 'with' is essential to connect the verb to the idea being produced.

© 2026 English Reference