Meaning trap
come up
approach in status
to rise or advance in social, professional, or economic status, often implying a significant or noticeable improvement.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to rise or advance in social, professional, or economic status, often implying a significant or noticeable improvement.
'come up' also has the more basic meaning 'arise (of a problem, opportunity, or situation)'; this is the advanced sense.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- After years of hard work, she's really come up in the world.social_status
- Many people aspire to come up in their careers, seeking not only financial rewards but also greater recognition and influence.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: come up (in the world/society/company)
WrongShe has come up a lot in her status.
RightShe's really come up in the world.
The fixed phrase is 'come up in the world' — don't paraphrase the 'status' part.
Patterncome up (in the world/society/company)
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Come up in the world' is the idiom for rising in status; the formal paraphrase sounds like a biography.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
come up in the worldin the worldfrom nothingthe hard way
Don't confuse it
Unlike the B1 sense ('arise') or B2 sense ('be mentioned'), this sense is figurative and refers to someone's progress or rise in status, not to events or topics appearing.
Related
- come up (arise (of a problem, opportunity, or situation)) — 'come up' also has the more basic meaning 'arise (of a problem, opportunity, or situation)'; this is the advanced sense.