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. Youngcome on 1 of 3
verb
as in to arrive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- arrive
- be
- emerge
- set in
- live
- exist
- breathe
- subsist
- coalesce
- begin
- appear
- shape (up)
- arise
- start
- form
- cohere
- originate
- commence
- spring
- actualize
- continue
- survive
- dawn
- last
- materialize
- engender
- persist
- endure
- break
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- stop
- end
- cease
- finish
- conclude
- terminate
- disappear
- quit
- discontinue
- halt
- dissolve
- vanish
- evaporate
- die
- depart
- perish
- desist
- expire
- pass away
come-on
2 of 3noun
as in lure
something that persuades one to perform an action for pleasure or gain the spectacular sale was enough of a come-on to get many shoppers to try the store for the first time Synonyms & Similar Words
- lure
- incentive
- temptation
- enticement
- attraction
- bait
- boost
- allurement
- turn-on
- motivation
- appeal
- stimulus
- impetus
- seduction
- inducement
- encouragement
- siren song
- impulse
- decoy
- goad
- call
- persuasion
- trap
- snare
- seducement
- entrapment
- spur
- mousetrap
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- warning
- notice
- alert
- caution
- alarm
- forewarning
- alarum
come on
3 of 3interjection
as in no
how surprising, doubtful, or unbelievable come on, you can't be serious in making such an offer! Synonyms & Similar Words
- no
- oh
- hello
- why
- well
- what
- indeed
- hey
- gee
- ha
- aha
- my word
- gee whiz
- ah
- pooh
- pshaw
- fie
- fiddlesticks
- there
- whoops
- lo
- phooey
- the devil
- the dickens
- oops
- woops
- ugh
- gad
- (the) deuce
- gadzooks
- egad
- zounds
