befall

verb

be·​fall bi-ˈfȯl How to pronounce befall (audio)
bē-
befell bi-ˈfel How to pronounce befall (audio)
bē-
; befallen bi-ˈfȯ-lən How to pronounce befall (audio)
bē-

intransitive verb

: to happen especially as if by fate

transitive verb

: to happen to
the fate that befell them

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Does Catherine deserve the fate that’s befallen her? Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Nov. 2024 The fumbled token launch, then, is the latest in a series of mishaps and snafus to befall the World Liberty Financial project. Joel Khalili, WIRED, 16 Oct. 2024 Emily cannot turn off her work brain and plots on how to score Air France as a client (not a bad idea; is Emily getting smarter?!?), only for the inevitable to befall her: The flight is canceled. Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2024 But he’s also had trouble getting the next generation of 1017 off the ground because jail or prison terms have befallen so many of his recent signees. Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for befall 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of befall was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near befall

Cite this Entry

“Befall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/befall. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

befall

verb
be·​fall bi-ˈfȯl How to pronounce befall (audio)
befell -ˈfel How to pronounce befall (audio) ; befallen -ˈfȯ-lən How to pronounce befall (audio) ; befalling
1
: to take place : happen
2
: to happen to

More from Merriam-Webster on befall

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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