come-on
1 of 2noun
ˈkəm-ˌȯn 
-ˌän
1
: something (such as an advertising promotion) intended to entice or allure
2
: a usually sexual advance
come on
2 of 2verb
came on; come on; coming on; comes on
intransitive verb
1
a
: to advance by degrees
darkness came on
b
: to begin by degrees
rain came on toward noon
2
a
: please —used in cajoling or pleading
b
—used interjectionally to express astonishment, incredulity, or recognition of a put-on
3
: to project an indicated personal image
comes on as a conservative
4
: to show sexual interest in someone
also : to make sexual advances —usually used with to
tried to come on to her
Synonyms
Noun
- allurement
- bait
- enticement
- lure
- siren song
- temptation
- turn-on
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
First Known Use
Noun
1902, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Legal Definition
come on
intransitive verb
: to be brought forward (as a case in court)
the first prize case of the war…came on for trial
W. G. Young
W. G. Youngcame on
verb
as in arrived
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- arrived
- emerged
- set in
- was
- lived
- existed
- breathed
- coalesced
- subsisted
- appeared
- shaped (up)
- began
- originated
- started
- commenced
- actualized
- arose
- formed
- sprung
- continued
- cohered
- sprang
- survived
- engendered
- dawned
- persisted
- materialized
- endured
- lasted
- broke
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- stopped
- ended
- ceased
- finished
- concluded
- disappeared
- terminated
- discontinued
- halted
- vanished
- quit
- died
- evaporated
- dissolved
- quitted
- departed
- expired
- passed away
- desisted
- perished