1 B2 neutral
To be classified within a particular category, heading, or area of responsibility.
"Environmental law comes under the jurisdiction of the federal government, not individual states."
inseparable
come under
B2 neutral inseparable transitive
To be classified under a category, or to experience criticism, pressure, or attack.
In plain English
To belong to a group or category, or to start getting criticism or pressure from others.
What does "come under" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To experience criticism, scrutiny, pressure, or attack.
"The CEO came under heavy criticism after the company's data breach became public."
“
The administration has come under fire for its handling of the crisis.
— The New York Times, widely used phrasing in political reporting
inseparable
3 B2 neutral
To begin to be governed by, controlled by, or influenced by something.
"The territory came under French control in the eighteenth century."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To move to a position beneath something.
Actually means
To belong to a group or category, or to start getting criticism or pressure from others.
Usage tip
Very common in formal and journalistic writing. The sense of 'experiencing criticism or attack' often appears with nouns like 'fire', 'scrutiny', 'pressure', and 'attack'. The classification sense is common in academic and administrative contexts.
Words that pair with "come under"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
fire scrutiny pressure criticism attack jurisdiction
How to conjugate "come under"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
come under
I/you/we/they
3rd person
comes under
he/she/it
Past simple
came under
yesterday
Past participle
come under
have + pp
-ing form
coming under
continuous
Hear "come under" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "come under" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.