happen to

phrasal verb

happened to; happening to; happens to

: to affect or involve (someone or something) as the result of an event or action

An odd thing happened to me on my way to the office last week.

I wonder what/whatever happened to that guy after he lost his job.

especially : to affect (someone or something) in a bad or harmful way

I promise nothing will happen to you.

What happened to the car? There's a big scratch on the fender.

Examples of happen to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Mentorship gets portrayed as something exclusive—reserved for Ivy League networks, elite accelerator programs, or founders who happen to know the right people. —Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025

The next opportunity just happened to come in the form of an entry-level position with the Lions. —Adam Jahns, New York Times, 2 June 2025

The object is releasing not only radio pulses but also powerful X-rays that NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory happened to observe. —Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 1 June 2025

What happened to Lilo and Nani's parents in the live-action Lilo & Stitch? —Emily Blackwood, People.com, 31 May 2025

Rhymes for happen to

• amadou
• avenue
• ballyhoo
• baraboo
• barbecue
• barbeque
• bugaboo
• cabildo
• caribou
• cockatoo
• detinue
• devalue