befall

[bih-fawl] / bɪˈfɔl /

VERB

happen to; take place

Synonyms

STRONGEST

ensue materialize transpire

STRONG

action bechance betide break chance cook develop fall follow gel go hap happen jell occur shake smoke supervene

WEAK

come down come off come to pass cook up a storm cook with gas fall out go down

Antonyms

STRONG

stay stop

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.

But woe befall any bad guys who mistake him for a fool.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

A different sort of disaster may befall Mr. Starmer and Labour in London.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Jo's brother Jimmy said he "never imagined such a profound tragedy would ever befall our family".

From BBC • Nov. 25, 2025

Remember Y2K, the impending doom that would befall us all when ill-equipped computer systems switched from “99” to “00” at the stroke of midnight on December 31, 1999?

From Salon • May 1, 2025

I thought of all that might befall him.

From "Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell

Vocabulary lists containing befall

Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 1

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

ACT Vocabulary List

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!