happened

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:

happened

In the U.K., authorities are still trying to piece together what happened, and some U.K. officials question the level of sophistication of the planned attack.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

"What happened to Jane Doe in 2024 is deeply disturbing and will weigh heavily on our community for years to come."

From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026

If the thermometer fails to reach 20C anywhere in the UK, it will be the first time that has happened since 11 June.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

I ask this because of the craziness that happened Saturday night in Game 1 of the National League Divisional Series between San Diego and Milwaukee.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

A panic rises up in me that I fight, desperate to shove back in its box before it ruins my chance with the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam