befell
bi-ˈfel 
bē-
; befallen
bi-ˈfȯ-lən
bē-
: to happen especially as if by fate
: to happen to
the fate that befell them
Synonyms
Examples of befall in a Sentence
It's sad to think of the unhappy fate that befell him.
The drought was only one of many hardships to befall the small country.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kat began to have visions of living the same arc of ambition and collapse that befell her father.
—
Kathy Gilsinan, WIRED, 24 Apr. 2024
But barring accident or illness that could befall either of the two elderly candidates, the rematch is what the country faces.
—David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024
From one point of view, no doubt the most sensible, what had happened to me was not as calamitous as what befell the residents of the Starliner Tower.
—Becca Rothfeld, The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2024
Someone notes the rare silence that has befallen the kitchen — this gumbo is good.
—Danielle Dorsey, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
The judgment is the latest in a string of financial woes that have befallen Dash since parting ways with Carter, and then Burke: in 2019, he was arrested for failing to pay more than $400,000 in child support to his ex-wife Rachel Roy.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2024
Outdoor security cameras need to be built extra tough to withstand not only the weather but also the wide variety of hazards that can befall them.
—K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2024
Indeed, Ireland’s 14% dip in EV sales in the first quarter is the same drop that is expected to befall Germany’s EV market this year.
—Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 3 Apr. 2024
In September, a similar fate befell Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, who had his account hijacked by hackers.
—Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 5 Jan. 2024
Kathy Gilsinan, WIRED, 24 Apr. 2024
But barring accident or illness that could befall either of the two elderly candidates, the rematch is what the country faces.
—David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024
From one point of view, no doubt the most sensible, what had happened to me was not as calamitous as what befell the residents of the Starliner Tower.
—Becca Rothfeld, The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2024
Someone notes the rare silence that has befallen the kitchen — this gumbo is good.
—Danielle Dorsey, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
The judgment is the latest in a string of financial woes that have befallen Dash since parting ways with Carter, and then Burke: in 2019, he was arrested for failing to pay more than $400,000 in child support to his ex-wife Rachel Roy.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2024
Outdoor security cameras need to be built extra tough to withstand not only the weather but also the wide variety of hazards that can befall them.
—K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2024
Indeed, Ireland’s 14% dip in EV sales in the first quarter is the same drop that is expected to befall Germany’s EV market this year.
—Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 3 Apr. 2024
In September, a similar fate befell Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, who had his account hijacked by hackers.
—Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 5 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'befall.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to befall
Dictionary Entries Near befall
Cite this Entry
“Befall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/befall. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share