come upon

verb

1. intr, preposition to meet or encounter unexpectedly

   I came upon an old friend in the street today

Idioms and Phrases

see come across , def. 1; come on , def. 3.

Example Sentences

Late one morning on a sun-drenched November day, I was exploring the western edge of MacArthur Park when I came upon a social worker who was looking for a client.

From Los Angeles Times

He came upon the two deputies at the Buddhist temple and allegedly fired at them before they could announce themselves.

From Los Angeles Times

He came upon being a sheriff almost because he had tried many other things.

From Salon

I was at her side when we came upon an alley where drug users gather day and night, and a dozen or more people were there as we approached.

From Los Angeles Times

We came upon a small group of people gathered on the edge of the park, and I pulled out my phone to show them a photo.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bump into
• come across