expresses accidental discovery or how something/someone is received/impressed.

to indicate that someone encounters or perceives an object, idea, or person unexpectedly or with a particular quality.

first meetings at events, reading articles online, discovering new products while browsing stores.

everyday conversation, professional settings such as presentations and reviews, informal social interactions.

come across as, come across

come across as, come across

as arrogant, as shy; an old photo, an interesting article

• well
• badly
• confidence
• sincerity

• stumble upon
• encounter
• seem
• appear

'Come across' must be followed by 'as' before the adjective unless using idiomatic expressions like ‘come across well/badly’.

run into (encounter people), stumble upon (find something unexpectedly).

Learners often omit ‘as’ when forming impressions; remember that only specific idioms (“come across well/badly”) bypass this requirement.

• none

The impression sense conveys how others perceive you, not your intended intention or quality.

Observational and reflective – it signals a casual discovery or perception of attitude rather than an intentional action.

found unexpectedly

This phrasal verb can be used both transitively and intransitively, depending on the context. It is essential to use the correct preposition 'as' when describing impressions to avoid common mistakes.

come across as genuine