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.

The incident that eventually befell Price took place in July 2015.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

This vast array of media professionals came no closer to uncovering what awful fate befell this poor 84-year-old woman.

From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026

She will be desperate to avoid the disaster that befell hot men's favourite Ilia Malinin, who suffered a nightmare last week, slumping to an eighth-place finish.

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

The former owner of Rangers, Sir David Murray, has apologised to fans for his part in the financial calamity that befell the club more than a decade ago.

From BBC • Jun. 26, 2025

That fate befell African pygmies and many other hunter-gatherer populations displaced by farmers.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond