befell

VERB

happen to; take place

Synonyms

STRONGEST

ensue materialize transpire

STRONG

action bechance betide break chance cook develop fall follow gel go hap happen jell occur shake smoke supervene

WEAK

come down come off come to pass cook up a storm cook with gas fall out go down

Antonyms

STRONG

stay stop

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:

befell

Without clear succession planning, Xi also risks the fate that befell Stalin and Mao, whose deaths in office unleashed struggles for power that ended up unraveling their political visions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

No other harm befell him or my little brother.

From Salon ● Jul. 3, 2026

A similar fate befell What's Wrong With Me – a duet with her musical hero, The Cure's Robert Smith.

From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026

Because, for veterans of modern warfare, the question isn’t how to come to grips with something that befell us in the manner of a natural disaster.

From Slate ● Mar. 16, 2026

“And”—Benefo raises his voice—“I, for some reason, decided to marry Osei. Alas, tragedy befell me.”

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer