happens

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.

See Examples For:

happens

As a young veterinarian student, Jacob loses his parents in a tragic accident and jumps a moving train that just happens to belong to the Benzini Bros.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

It’s not worth digging much into the film’s story; whether you’ve seen the first movie or just have a general outline of it, you’ll be wholly unsurprised by everything that happens in its sequel.

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

This study instead focuses on the ways they interact, and on what happens when those connections begin to weaken.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026

When this happens, they position themselves based on their team-mate on the wing - with one out wide and one more central.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

“And what happens if you don’t push it back? What if you let it overwhelm you?”

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff