come across

verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"come-across" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“come across” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see come, across.

Key facts for come across
PropertyValue
Headwordcome across
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
Letters11
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “come across” sits in English frequency

come across falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for come across is 11 letters long, classified as a verb. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for come across in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct English form is come across, spelled C-O-M-E- -A-C-R-O-S-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see come, across.
  2. 2
    To change sides; to cross over to work for the opposition.
  3. 3
    To give an appearance or impression; to project a certain image; to seem or appear (to be some way).
  4. 4
    To find, usually by accident.
  5. 5
    To produce what was desired; to come up with the goods.
  6. 6
    To give in and do what is wanted or expected; to acquiesce to something.
  7. 7
    To give in and do what is wanted or expected; to acquiesce to something.
  8. 8
    To give in and do what is wanted or expected; to acquiesce to something.

This word in other languages

wirken(Deutsch)topar(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "come across"?
"come across" is spelled C-O-M-E- -A-C-R-O-S-S.
What does "come across" mean?
As a verb, "come across" means: Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see come, across.
What language does "come across" come from?
"come across" is a English word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “come across”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-M-E- -A-C-R-O-S-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list