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. Youngcoming on
verb
as in emerging
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- emerging
- setting in
- arriving
- existing
- being
- living
- shaping (up)
- breathing
- subsisting
- beginning
- coalescing
- originating
- commencing
- arising
- forming
- dawning
- starting
- appearing
- actualizing
- continuing
- springing
- cohering
- engendering
- surviving
- lasting
- materializing
- enduring
- persisting
- breaking
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ending
- stopping
- ceasing
- finishing
- concluding
- terminating
- halting
- discontinuing
- quitting
- disappearing
- vanishing
- dying
- evaporating
- dissolving
- passing away
- departing
- desisting
- expiring
- perishing