Cool MateCome down vs Drop
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Come down
Top 2,000 (common)
Drop
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Most common: Drop
| Come down | Drop | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //kʌm daʊn//🇺🇸 //kʌm daʊn// | 🇬🇧 /["/drɒp/","/drɒps/","/drɒpt/","/ˈdrɒpɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/drɑːp/","/drɑːps/","/drɑːpt/","/ˈdrɑːpɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | To lower in position or to decrease. | to let something fall or go down |
| Example | Please come down from the roof carefully. | Please drop the ball so we can play a game. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | come down to earth, come down hard, come down in price, come down for dinner, come down with an illness | accidentally, carelessly, casually, in, into, on, accidentally, carelessly, casually, in, into, on, heavily, gently, lightly, let something, be ready to, into, onto, to, drop like a stone, drop open, considerably, dramatically, drastically, be likely to, be unlikely to, below, by, from, sharply, steeply, away, into, to, towards/toward, quietly, unceremoniously, from, in favour/favor of, quietly, immediately, quickly, let something, agree to, decide to, in favour/favor of |
| Antonyms | - | pick up, raise, lift |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'come up' which means to increase or approach., Using 'come down' with a direct object, which is incorrect., Mixing up the preposition when trying to indicate direction. | Using 'drop' without an object (e.g., saying 'I drop' instead of 'I drop the ball'), Confusing 'drop' with 'spill' when referring to liquids, Incorrectly using 'drop' in the past tense form; remember it's 'dropped' |
| Usage notes | Use 'come down' when talking about moving to a lower place or when discussing decreasing prices or moods. It's suitable for casual conversation and informal contexts. | Use 'drop' when something is falling or being released. It's appropriate in both casual and more serious contexts, but avoid using it in overly formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Come down vs Drop
What's the difference between Come down and Drop?
Come down: To lower in position or to decrease. Drop: to let something fall or go down
Which is more common: Come down and Drop?
Drop is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Come down: Please come down from the roof carefully. Drop: Please drop the ball so we can play a game.
Can I use Come down and Drop interchangeably?
Not always. Come down and Drop are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.