happenstance

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.

Friends and family said it was tragic happenstance that either ended up in their ill-fated seats.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 15, 2025

For Sebastián Yatra, a miracle doesn’t have to be a grandiose happenstance; it can be a child’s smile, the perfect cup of tea or rain on a sunny day.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2025

The initial Metro Bashers came to their hobby independently, meeting through happenstance and their shared love of the rail network.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2025

This dish came about more by happenstance than planning, but I’m deeply grateful for that serendipity.

From Salon • Dec. 9, 2024

Partly by happenstance, the U.S. geneticist James Neel and the U.S. anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon flew into Yanomami country in the midst of the epidemic.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann