come upon

The phrase "come upon" is often used to describe discovering or encountering something or someone unexpectedly.

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Definition

B2General

(common, informal)To discover or find something by chance.

Example

While hiking, they came upon a hidden waterfall.
She came upon an old photograph in the attic.

B2General

(common, informal)To meet or encounter someone unexpectedly.

Example

I came upon an old friend at the market.
We came upon a group of tourists in the park.

C1General

(common, informal)To suddenly experience or be affected by something.

Example

A sense of calm came upon her as she entered the room.
An unexpected feeling of joy came upon him.

Similar

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "come upon":

come across hit upon stumble upon fall upon stumble on come upon the town stumble across come up come about run up on come around come by cross someone's path come up to run into bump into happen by run into one come into descend upon set upon come on to come at come along fall down on fall on stumble against come to come to hand come through come over come down on come up with lay hands on spring up run afoul of seize upon come forth on the come hit up against come after