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.

"It's a good thing it didn't happen on a Friday, because the streets would be full of people," he added.

From BBC • May 19, 2026

"It's rare but it does happen," Vietnam analyst Nguyen Khac Giang said of the decision by city authorities to reverse course.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

"They're expected to share a bed and a life together within minutes of meeting - it almost feels like an accident waiting to happen."

From BBC • May 19, 2026

“But at the moment it looks like the opposite is going to happen, and that’s risky,” Altman added.

From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026

“But the letter said you couldn’t level up tomorrow, that something bad was going to happen if we didn’t start working together,” I said.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

happen

Example Sentences

Related Words