happenstance

noun

hap·​pen·​stance ˈha-pən-ˌstan(t)s How to pronounce happenstance (audio)
ˈha-pᵊm-
: a circumstance especially that is due to chance
They came together by mere happenstance.
happenstance adjective

Examples of happenstance in a Sentence

Our meeting was pure happenstance. We met each other by happenstance. It was an agreeable happenstance that we met.
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.
This one came to the company almost by happenstance. Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025 The pair’s love story began with a happenstance meeting at a recording studio in 2021. Nathan Vinson, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025 For instance, by happenstance, on the opening day of IBC filmmaker Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) began continuously projecting Occupied City, his 32-hour documentary about the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam on the outside walls of the Rijksmuseum, the Netherlands’ most distinguished museum. David Bloom, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 Meanwhile, Nashville resident Brittani Logsdon said her Iceland trip was the result of a happenstance and spontaneity. Hadley Hitson, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for happenstance

Word History

Etymology

happen + circumstance

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of happenstance was in 1857

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Happenstance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/happenstance. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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