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.

Rage – that's his response to a father who's lost his son and asked for that not to happen.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

"It's sort of a mystery in terms of fundamental physics. How in the world can these things happen?"

From Science Daily • Jun. 3, 2026

The same would happen if you had a healthcare emergency and suddenly had much higher expenses.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 3, 2026

Policymakers closely monitor inflation expectations because, generally speaking, what people think will happen to prices in the future influences wage and price-setting behavior.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

We never knew whether these people had been spirited away by the Gestapo or gone into hiding before this could happen.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

happen

Example Sentences

Related Words