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Showing results for happen. Search instead for etappen.
Definitions

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.

“Polymarket cuts through media spin and so-called ‘expert’ opinion by letting people bet on what they actually believe will happen in the world,” he said.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

If public markets are more attractive for companies to list, more value creation can happen there — and more upside can be available to individual investors. 

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

“I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

A big reason is psychological: It takes lots of evidence to convince people something unthinkable might be about to happen like major banks collapsing, a pandemic or actual fuel shortages.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

But I will tell you because I want you to know the story as it happened, not simply as I would have wished it to happen.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.