Synonyms for happen
ˈhæp ənhap·pen

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. happen

   A thing is said to happen when no design is manifest, or none especially thought of; it is said to chance when it appears to be the result of accident (compare synonyms for ACCIDENT). An incident happens or occurs; something external or actual happens to one; a thought or fancy occurs to him. Befall and betide are transitive; happen is intransitive; something befalls or betides a person or happens to him. Betide is especially used for anticipated evil, thought of as waiting and coming at its appointed time; as, wo betide him! One event supervenes upon another event, one disease upon another, etc. ["Transpire," in the sense of happen, is not authorized by good usage: a thing that has happened is properly said to transpire when it becomes known.]

   Synonyms:
   bechance, befall, betide, chance, come to pass, fall, fall out, occur, supervene, take place

   Preposition:
   An event happens to a person; a person happens on or upon a fact, discovery, etc.

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:2.0 / 2 votes

1. happen, hap, go on, pass off, occur, pass, fall out, come about, take placeverb

   come to pass

   "What is happening?"; "The meeting took place off without an incidence"; "Nothing occurred that seemed important"

   Synonyms:
   materialise, run, perish, elapse, go past, make pass, progress, top, put across, go by, draw, evanesce, continue, occur, pass off, slip by, materialize, breathe, excrete, turn over, go, spend, bechance, slide by, croak, emit, fade, hand, legislate, egest, exit, authorise, exceed, fleet, pass away, slip away, drop dead, overstep, transcend, make it, return, pop off, come out, authorize, devolve, cash in one's chips, kick the bucket, give, fall out, hap, march on, glide by, go on, chance, sink, eliminate, move on, lapse, come up, give-up the ghost, blow over, take place, lead, expire, overhaul, find, advance, go through, reach, communicate, come about, keep, choke, pass by, snuff it, overtake, bump, follow, extend, come on, carry on, die, fall, pass, proceed, encounter, clear, decease, conk, travel by, buy the farm, pass along, come, befall, go across, go along, surpass, guide, pass on

2. happen, befall, bechanceverb

   happen, occur, or be the case in the course of events or by chance

   "It happens that today is my birthday"; "These things befell" (Santayana)

   Synonyms:
   encounter, betide, materialise, fall out, bump, go on, occur, pass off, materialize, bechance, hap, chance, take place, befall, find, pass, come about

3. happenverb

   chance to be or do something, without intention or causation

   "I happen to have just what you need!"

   Synonyms:
   materialise, hap, go on, chance, pass off, materialize, take place, encounter, befall, occur, bump, fall out, find, pass, bechance, come about

4. happen, materialize, materialiseverb

   come into being; become reality

   "Her dream really materialized"

   Synonyms:
   encounter, materialise, fall out, bump, go on, occur, pass off, materialize, bechance, hap, chance, take place, befall, find, pass, come about

5. find, happen, chance, bump, encounterverb

   come upon, as if by accident; meet with

   "We find this idea in Plato"; "I happened upon the most wonderful bakery not very far from here"; "She chanced upon an interesting book in the bookstore the other day"

   Synonyms:
   line up, detect, recover, kick downstairs, find oneself, befall, take chances, get, get hold, run across, gamble, demote, fall out, find, pass off, retrieve, hazard, knock, rule, notice, meet, chance, determine, see, find out, come about, come up, play, take a chance, encounter, materialize, go on, receive, feel, occur, risk, pass, incur, take place, come across, bechance, observe, run into, adventure, witness, dislodge, run a risk, ascertain, relegate, bump, take on, hap, break, regain, obtain, materialise, discover

Matched Categories

1. • Chance
   • Happen

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. happenverb

   Synonyms:
   chance, occur, befall, betide, come, take place, turn up, fall out, come to pass

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:4.0 / 1 vote

1. happenverb

   Synonyms:
   occur, befall, betide, supervene, intervene

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "happen":

   occur, arrive, arise, be

How to pronounce happen?

How to say happen in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use happen in a sentence?

1. Kyle Philips:

   We should have expected it, ‘cause he’s always trying to hurdle someone, you know? but then he actually cleared the guy. The whole sideline went insane just ’cause it finally happened. We’ve been waiting for it to happen. He’s been trying so long.

2. Former Vice President Joe Biden:

   What we can't let happen is let this primary become a negative bloodbath.

3. Charlize Theron:

   That is really ultimately what it is. How do we allow anything like this to happen on our watch?They really wanted to be proactive and really wanted to know, what can we do?

4. Chris Cuomo:

   I can be objective about just about any topic, but not about my family. Those of you who watch this show get it. Like you, I bet, my family means everything to me. And I am fiercely loyal to them. I'm family first, job second, but being a journalist and a brother to a politician is unique and a unique challenge and I have a unique responsibility to balance those roles. It's not always easy. People can say and write what they want, but I want you to know the truth. How I helped my brother also matters. When my brother's situation became turbulent, being looped into calls with other friends of his and advisers that did include some of his staff, I understand why that was a problem for CNN. It will not happen again.

5. Trakel James:

   The moment I heard the sound, I just kind of moved backwards, i wasn't scared. It wasmore that I was shocked and I'm more like, 'Well how did that happen?’.