come apart
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle apart
Meanings
Break into pieces or stop holding together
Why “apart”? A whole opens into separate pieces, or people move away from each other.
“The chair came apart in his hands.”
“The toy came apart when the child pulled it.”
Don't confuse with
Come apart means break into pieces or stop holding together. Come along means make progress or develop.
Come apart means break into pieces or stop holding together. Come off means stop taking a medicine or substance.
Test yourself
“The chair came apart in his hands.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
come along
A contrast learners often mix up
Make progress or develop; Accompany someone to a place; Arrive or appear, often by chance
come off
A contrast learners often mix up
Become detached from something; Happen successfully as planned; Stop taking a medicine or substance; Give a particular impression to others; Be withdrawn from sale or service
drift apart
Same apart pattern: separation
Slowly become less close to someone
fall apart
Same apart pattern: separation
Break into separate pieces because something is broken; Become unable to cope emotionally; (of a relationship, plan or system) collapse
grow apart
Same apart pattern: separation
Gradually become less interested in each other
pull apart
Same apart pattern: separation
Separate two people or things by force
take apart
Same apart pattern: separation
Disassemble completely; Criticise harshly
come about
Same base verb: come
Happen, especially in an unplanned way; Of a ship, change tack to the opposite side
Practice “come apart” in Sink In
Drill this and 600+ phrasal verbs with spaced repetition, organised by particle.