English idiom

come to mind

Register · Neutral CEFR B1

Post

Figurative meaning

to appear in one's thoughts or memory

Why this phrase?

A thought is pictured as moving into the mind, although nothing physically arrives.

Example

“No suitable candidate came to mind when the committee asked for suggestions.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

food for thought

an idea or piece of information worth thinking carefully about

off the top of one's head

from memory, without checking or thinking carefully

rack your brains

To think very hard in an effort to remember or solve something.

spring to mind

to come into your thoughts suddenly and easily

bear in mind

to remember and consider something when making a decision

brain power

intelligence or mental ability used to think and solve problems

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

markdown