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 This is the latest round of layoffs to befall the newspaper industry. Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2024 Lastly, Johansson’s character hinted at the lack of future political success that seems to have befallen those who have delivered State of the Union rebuttals. William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 10 Mar. 2024 With at least 28,000 people confirmed dead and an additional 68,000 injured, Israeli bombs have already had a catastrophic human cost in Gaza – starvation could be the next tragedy to befall the territory. Yara M. Asi, The Conversation, 15 Feb. 2024 As mysterious tragedies begin to befall the village, there is talk the shipwrecked have become draugur. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2024 Some worried that the same fate that befell Batgirl and Coyote vs Acme awaited Salem’s. Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2024 Even fewer know his work today, a fate that has befallen hundreds of talented artists working in countries such as East Germany and Czechoslovakia from the 1960s through the '80s. Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 These links moved electricity to where it was most needed, helping to avoid the sort of catastrophe that befell Texas’s isolated electric grid the year before, when a deep freeze left millions without power for days. IEEE Spectrum, 22 Feb. 2024 The tragedy that befell the family visiting South Florida from Indiana made international headlines given what seems like the freak nature of the accident. David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 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.

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 28 Mar. 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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