Come across: meaning, examples, and tone
Learn come across for finding things by chance and for the impression someone or something gives.
Come across has two common meanings: to find something by chance, and to give a particular impression.
Both meanings are useful, but they behave differently in sentences, so learners often confuse them.
Find by chance
When you come across something, you discover it unexpectedly while looking, reading, walking, or browsing.
This meaning is close to stumble on, but come across is more neutral and widely used.
Give an impression
A person can come across as confident, rude, shy, friendly, or prepared. A message can come across as cold or unclear.
In this use, the phrase describes how someone or something seems to other people, not necessarily what they intended.
Common learner mistake
Do not use come across when you deliberately meet someone. Say I met my friend after work, not I came across my friend after work, unless the meeting was accidental.
Examples
I came across a useful explanation of take off yesterday.
The speaker found it unexpectedly.
His email came across as impatient.
The email created that impression.
She comes across well in interviews.
People get a positive impression of her.
Quick practice
1. Choose the meaning: I came across an old notebook.
Found by chance.
2. Complete: The message came ___ as too formal.
across