1 A2 neutral
To approach or walk toward someone or something.
"A young child came up to me in the park and asked if I had seen her dog."
inseparable
come up to
B1 neutral inseparable transitive
To approach someone or something, or to reach the required standard or level.
In plain English
To walk up to someone, or to be as good as you expected something to be.
What does "come up to" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To reach or meet a required standard or level of quality.
"The hotel was a disappointment—it simply didn't come up to our expectations."
inseparable
3 A2 neutral
To reach as far as a certain height or point.
"The floodwater came up to the doorstep before it finally started to recede."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To move upward and reach as far as a particular point.
Actually means
To walk up to someone, or to be as good as you expected something to be.
Usage tip
The 'approach' sense is A2 level and very transparent. The 'meet a standard' sense, often used in negatives ('it didn't come up to expectations'), is more idiomatic and B1–B2 level.
Words that pair with "come up to"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
standard expectations mark scratch level requirements
How to conjugate "come up to"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
come up to
I/you/we/they
3rd person
comes up to
he/she/it
Past simple
came up to
yesterday
Past participle
come up to
have + pp
-ing form
coming up to
continuous
Hear "come up to" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "come up to" 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.