befall

verb

be·​fall bi-ˈfȯl 

bē-

befell bi-ˈfel 

bē-

; befallen bi-ˈfȯ-lən 

bē-

intransitive verb

: to happen especially as if by fate

transitive verb

: to happen to

the fate that befell them

Synonyms of befall

• happen
• occur

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

Of all the crazy things that had befallen him since skiing Everest—Prince Harry buying him rounds, Meghan Markle texting him on the crag, dining with John Malkovich—one stood out. — Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026

The last thing Team Bond wants is a scandal like the one that befell Marvel after casting Jonathan Majors in a multi-film villain role. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2026

Legend has it that sad fates befell those who made her angry and happy ones those who were kind to her. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026

There’s a slickness to the carnage that rubs uncomfortably against the film’s humanist ethos, rendering artificial (for all Shen Teng’s trembling and mouth-contorting labors) the horrific tragedies that befall its characters. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English befallen, going back to Old English befeallan (parallel to Old High German bifallan "to fall"), from be- be- + feallan "to fall entry 1"

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for befall

• aldol
• armhole
• atoll
• awol
• backhaul
• banal
• baseball
• cabal
• catchall
• cecal
• centrale
• downfall

Kids Definition

befall

verb

be·​fall bi-ˈfȯl 

befell -ˈfel  ; befallen -ˈfȯ-lən  ; befalling

1

: to take place : happen

2

: to happen to