Come up means: To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
come up
(idiomatic, intransitive) To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly.
Seen in the wild
5 citations · last seen May 2026
Seen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
Somehow, All Hope and the s/t, but not Iowa, are in the 1001 Albums list I recently had All Hope come up in my randomized run through the list and it sucks eggs
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BlueskyMay 2026
Good to know it's not just me. If you had me watch the trailer I saw then sat me down to guess the films elevator pitch, I would NOT be able to do it. I should at least be able to come up with a small sentence. Only t…
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BlueskyMay 2026
Dante will have to come up with a new circle hell for those dipshit TechBros
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BlueskyMay 2026
I thought this thing was the worst idea Berlin had come up with since 2012. Then I was on the Autobahn for the first time and saw that abomination further out. The S-Bahn is correct to not go out that way. Let the c…
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BlueskyMay 2026
oh nvmd apparently hes still actively friends w nazis ???? i dont watch the show nor follow him or his friends so i cant make statements, but watching all the talk and info come up sure is a lot hckcmf
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Definitions
UK
#1·Apr 26, 2026UK
(idiomatic, intransitive) To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly.
Unless anything comes up, I'll be there every day this week.
For parents
Come up means: To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
come up means: To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.
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UK
#2·Apr 26, 2026UK
(intransitive) To be revealed to have a certain value, quality, or status.
The movie didn't come up to our expectations.
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UK
#3·Apr 26, 2026UK
(intransitive) To come to attention and present oneself; to arrive or appear.
Cluster: arrive
Heard in the wild
“Somehow, All Hope and the s/t, but not Iowa, are in the 1001 Albums list I recently had All Hope come up in my randomized run through the list and it sucks eggs”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Good to know it's not just me. If you had me watch the trailer I saw then sat me down to guess the films elevator pitch, I would NOT be able to do it. I should at least be able to come up with a small sentence. Only thing that stuck with me is Sigourney Weaver's apparently in it.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Dante will have to come up with a new circle hell for those dipshit TechBros”
— Bluesky· May 2026“I thought this thing was the worst idea Berlin had come up with since 2012. Then I was on the Autobahn for the first time and saw that abomination further out. The S-Bahn is correct to not go out that way. Let the car drivers be solely besieged by the monstrosity.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“oh nvmd apparently hes still actively friends w nazis ???? i dont watch the show nor follow him or his friends so i cant make statements, but watching all the talk and info come up sure is a lot hckcmf”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Other words near "come up" (C)
come to a sticky endcome togethercome to handcome to Jesuscome unhingedcome unstuckcome upon the towncome up with snake eyescome withcome with itcome Yorkshire overcomfortable
Browse all slang words starting with C.