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 tough to price in the impact from upcoming IPOs on the market ahead of time, because they tend to “suck up the liquidity” at the time they actually happen, according to Elliott.

From MarketWatch • May 24, 2026

The mental burden of wondering when it will happen again weighs on him, bringing stress and depression.

From Salon • May 24, 2026

“I wonder what would happen if they stopped trying to cool the tank, if it would start heating itself again,” Picazo said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026

"It’s something that I didn’t think, I didn’t think that could happen, especially at my age," the headliner of this year's arts and literary festival said.

From BBC • May 23, 2026

As these things often seem to happen, the disaster snowballed.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen

happen

Example Sentences

Related Words