happens

VERB

come to pass; occur

Synonyms

STRONGEST

appear arise arrive crop up develop fall go on hit materialize meet pass result take effect take place transpire

STRONG

befall betide bump chance down ensue eventuate follow issue light proceed recur shake smoke spring stumble supervene

WEAK

be found become a fact become known become of come about come after come into being come into existence come off luck present itself stumble upon turn out turn up what goes

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cease disappear fail halt lose stop

STRONG

precede

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

happens

For me, this already is the golden age of the Dodgers, whatever happens this October notwithstanding.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

Whatever happens, the parents’ $1.2 million contribution should not simply disappear.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

One concern is what happens when deposit costs rise.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

This happens especially often with soups that are creamy, starchy or — blessedly — both.

From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026

I still don’t know what happens when my time is up.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse