arrive

1 of 2

verb

ar·​rive ə-ˈrīv 

arrived; arriving

intransitive verb

1

a

: to reach a destination

The train arrived late.

b

: to make an appearance : to come upon the scene

The crowd became silent when the officers arrived.

2

: to be near in time : come

The moment has arrived.

3

informal : to achieve success

After years of climbing the corporate ladder, he felt he had finally arrived.

4

archaic : happen

arriver noun

see also:

arrive at

arrivé

2 of 2

noun

ar·​ri·​vé ˌa-ri-ˈvā 

: one who has risen rapidly to success, power, or fame

Synonyms of arrive

Verb

• come
• appear

Examples of arrive in a Sentence

Verb

He arrived home at six o'clock.

We had some dinner before arriving at the station.

When do you expect them to arrive in Boston?

Their flight is due to arrive at 11:30.

The train from New York is now arriving.

They arrived late at the party.

The mail hasn't arrived yet.

The new version of the software has finally arrived in stores.

There's always a lot to do when spring arrives.

When is their baby expected to arrive?

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Marschall’s initial assessment was that the tree’s life probably began before European settlers arrived in the region, at a time when the mountain was populated by autonomous Indigenous nations that later became part of the Creek Confederacy. — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

By the time police arrived, the men were gone, the sources said. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026

Noun

As trees shed their leaves, people drag out rakes, leaf blowers and lawn bags to strip their yards bare before winter arrives. — Manjot Kaur Sidhu, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026

The Rolling Stones’ Aftermath gets a clear-vinyl edition with additional package extras, while George Harrison’s 33 1/3 and self-titled album arrive as new zoetrope editions. — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 6 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English ariven, arriven "to reach the end of a journey by sea, disembark, reach a destination," borrowed from Anglo-French ariver, arriver "to bring (a person, a ship) to shore, to reach a destination by ship, disembark" (also continental Old French), going back to Vulgar Latin *arrīpāre, parasynthetic derivative from Latin ad rīpam "up to the shore, at the shore" from ad "to, at" + rīpam, accusative of rīpa "bank, shore"; (sense 3) borrowed from French arriver (attested in this sense since the 18th century) — more at at entry 1, river

Noun

borrowed from French, past participle of arriver "to reach a destination, achieve success," going back to Old French ariver "to reach a destination by ship" — more at arrive entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1866, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing arrive

• arrive at

Rhymes for arrive

• alive
• archive
• beehive
• connive
• contrive
• deprive
• derive
• khedive
• revive
• survive
• dive
• drive

Kids Definition

arrive

verb

ar·​rive ə-ˈrīv 

arrived; arriving

1

: to reach the place one started out for

arrive home at six o'clock

2

: come sense 4

the time arrived to begin

3

informal : to be successful