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.

Now the war in Iran has pushed energy bills up again, and companies worry about what else might happen in the future.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

None of this will happen quickly, and given the budget crunch, you might be wondering how any of this would be paid for.

From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2026

The scientists then tested what would happen if they blocked the SF1 neurons from communicating with the rest of the brain.

From Science Daily • May 16, 2026

But I happen to have two young children, which means that my tolerance for getting a bit unwell is actually quite high.

From Slate • May 16, 2026

It was one thing to believe that such things were possible thousands of years ago, another to have it happen now, to us, this very day.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

happen

Example Sentences

Related Words