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.

See Examples For:

happens

If this happens, it would mark a substantial pivot from how American forces have operated in the region post-9/11.

From Salon ● Aug. 21, 2026

Induction happens when electromagnetic fields cause power on energized lines to jump to nearby idle equipment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

“Anyone who is younger than me, I would tell them, make sure you save money in case something happens like what happened to me,” said Lee, who turns 67 in December.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

"What happens when interest rates go up is that the funding of the deficit becomes more expensive," says economist Mohamed A. El-Erian, a professor at the Wharton School.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

I wiggle the little controller thing—the mouse—but nothing happens then, either.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy