1 A2 idiomatic neutral
to start functioning or happening
"The heating comes on automatically at six."
“
The sun'll come out tomorrow.
— Annie, "Tomorrow" (related form 'come out', not exact)
inseparable
come on
A2 neutral intransitive transitive/intransitive
to begin, improve, make progress, or be used to encourage or complain
In plain English
start, hurry, or do better
What does "come on" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 idiomatic informal
used to encourage someone or tell them to hurry or make an effort
"Come on, we don't want to miss the train."
“
Come on down!
— The Price Is Right (recurring catchphrase)
inseparable
3 B1 idiomatic informal
to develop or improve gradually
"Your English is really coming on now."
inseparable
4 B1 idiomatic informal
used to show disbelief or annoyance
"Come on, that's not a serious excuse."
“
Oh, come on!
— Very common line in films and television; no single reliable source cited
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
to move toward and onto something
Actually means
start, hurry, or do better
Usage tip
Extremely common and very flexible. Tone matters a lot: it can be friendly encouragement, impatience, disbelief, or flirtation in other structures.
Words that pair with "come on"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
lights rain team baby come on strong
How to conjugate "come on"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
come on
I/you/we/they
3rd person
comes on
he/she/it
Past simple
came on
yesterday
Past participle
come on
have + pp
-ing form
coming on
continuous
Hear "come on" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "come on" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "come on"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.