How to use "come up with"

What Does "come up with" Mean?

• The phrasal verb "come up with" means to produce or discover something, usually an idea, plan, solution, or explanation, often after some thought or effort.
• The meaning is semi-idiomatic. While "come up" independently can relate to movement or appearance, the addition of "with" significantly alters the meaning to imply creation or discovery.
• The register is neutral. It's suitable for both informal and formal contexts, although more formal alternatives exist.

How to Use It

• Grammatical pattern: verb + particle + preposition + noun (come + up + with + something).
• Typical objects include: ideas, solutions, plans, excuses, suggestions, names, designs, and answers. The object is what is being created or discovered.
• The components of this phrasal verb cannot be separated when followed by a noun. You would not say "Come something up with."
• What sounds unnatural: using the wrong preposition (e.g., "come up for"), using an inappropriate object (e.g., "come up with the weather"), or attempting to separate the phrasal verb.

Real-World Examples

"They'll come up with something"." — The New York Times

"You come up with themes"." — The New Yorker

"Come up with a good question"." — The New York Times

"So what did they come up with?" — The New York Times

"Come up with an excuse"." — WikiHow

Examples sourced from https://ludwig.guru/s/come+up+with

Similar Phrases and Alternatives

Phrase	Context
think of	A more general term for having an idea; less emphasis on effort.
devise a plan	More formal; emphasizes the creation of a detailed plan.
formulate a response	Suggests a careful and deliberate process of creating a response.
generate ideas	Focuses on producing a large number of ideas.
conceive of	More formal and literary; implies imagining or inventing something.
dream up	More informal; suggests a fanciful or imaginative idea.
invent something	Implies creating something entirely new.

Common Mistakes

• Using the wrong preposition: Saying "come up for an idea" instead of "come up with an idea" is incorrect.
• Separating the phrasal verb incorrectly: Avoid phrases like "Come the solution up with," as the components must remain together when followed by a noun object.
• Confusing it with "come up": While "come up" has its own meanings, it's distinct from the phrasal verb "come up with".

Quick-Reference Summary

Expression	Meaning	Grammatical Pattern	Register
come up with	To produce or discover something (an idea, plan, solution, etc.)	verb + particle + preposition + noun	Neutral

FAQs

Can I separate the parts of "come up with" in a sentence?

No, the components of the phrasal verb "come up with" should generally stay together when a noun object immediately follows. You wouldn't say "Come the idea up with." However, if you use a pronoun as the object, you can separate it: "Come up with it".

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How is "come up with" different from "think of"?

While both phrases relate to having an idea, "come up with" often implies more effort or a process of discovery or invention. "Think of" is more general and can simply mean to have an idea occur to you, whereas "come up with" suggests a more active generation of that idea.

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I sometimes say "come up for an idea." Is that correct?

No, the correct preposition to use with this phrasal verb is "with," not "for." The correct phrasing is "come up with an idea". Using "for" changes the meaning and is grammatically incorrect in this context.