to manage to survive or recover after a tough or dangerous experience.
After a long battle with the disease, she finally came through and is feeling much better now.
A: I heard your brother was in a car accident. Is he okay? B: Yeah, it was serious, but he came through and he's recovering at home.
When my grandmother was very sick last year, we were all worried, but she came through and is now back to her normal routine.
Common mistake
✗He came through from the operation well.
✓He came through the operation well.
'Come through' takes the ordeal directly — no 'from'.
Tell it apart
She came through the surgery fine.
survived it
The message came through clearly.
was received
Use 'come through' when someone has faced something hard, like an illness or a crisis, and managed to get past it.Not the same as 'get through', which can mean simply finishing something, not necessarily surviving a challenge.
When water or damp passes or seeps through a wall, ceiling or roof into a room.
There's a leak upstairs and water's coming through the kitchen ceiling.
A: Why is the wall wet? B: Damp's been coming through since the storm.
Water's coming through the ceiling — can you take a look? (casual) Water is coming through the ceiling; could someone look into it, please? (polite)
Common mistake
✗Water is coming inside from the ceiling.
✓Water is coming through the ceiling.
Use 'come through' for water passing through a surface, not 'come inside from'.
Tell it apart
Water's coming through the ceiling.
seeping through a surface
She came through the operation fine.
survived it — sense
Common when reporting a leak to a landlord — pair it with 'there's a leak'.'Come through' = passes through a surface; 'leak' is the wider problem causing it.
to do what is needed or expected, especially when it is difficult or important.
I was really counting on my team, and they came through with a great presentation.
A: Did you manage to finish the report on time? B: Yeah, I was stressed, but I came through and submitted it before the deadline.
In group projects, it's important to have members who always come through when things get tough.
Common mistake
✗He came through the project on time.
✓He came through on the project. / He came through for us.
You 'come through for' someone or 'come through on' something — not 'come through' the thing directly.
Tell it apart
I knew you'd come through for us.
delivered when needed
We came through the storm unharmed.
survived it
Use 'come through' when someone succeeds or helps at a crucial moment, especially when others are depending on them.Different from 'come across', which means to seem or appear a certain way.