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

Tax preparation happens in April, but tax planning happens all year long.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026

If and when that ever happens, no one will have expected it.

From Salon ● Oct. 26, 2026

When quarterbacks and receivers are thinking alike, magic happens.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2026

The restaurants tend to feature low-lighting and industrial color schemes, which give them the modern vibe of a club that also happens to smell like freshly grilled meat.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026

“The whole point is to get through whatever he throws at you without preparation. If I told you what happens, it wouldn’t be fair. You’d only be cheating yourself.”

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

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