happen

[hap-uhn] / ˈhæp ən /

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.

"Whether it's next year or whether it's five or ten years - it will happen eventually," she said.

From BBC • May 16, 2026

None of this will happen quickly, and given the budget crunch, you might be wondering how any of this would be paid for.

From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2026

It may seem like a great opportunity to get more transparency from these notoriously private firms, but the opposite is likely to happen.

From Slate • May 15, 2026

Pickering: I understand what Seth is saying, but those shifts feel like they will happen over longer periods of time, not as soon as 2027 or ’28.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

I felt white-hot anger bubble up inside me at the future version of myself who had let this happen.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

happen

Example Sentences

Related Words