befalling

verb

present participle of befall
as in happening
to take place whatever befalls, we'll make the best of it and carry on

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of befalling The problem befalling many a meatball sub is the roll. — Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 31 Jan. 2026 Bad luck befalling one rival is probable in this league. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 1 June 2026 Our leaders owe it to all of us to do their utmost to prevent this fate from befalling anyone else. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026 But researchers can advance the potential for new and beneficial drugs while legislators help prevent such tragedies from befalling other families. — David Kroll, The Conversation, 29 Aug. 2025 Achilles ruptures also decimated the 2025 NBA playoffs, befalling stars such as Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and then-Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard, who now plays for the Portland Trail Blazers. — Matt Villano, CNN Money, 3 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befalling
  1. happening
  2. occurring
Verb
  • Long-running pop-up event Fork N’ Film leans more dinner and movie, pairing dishes directly inspired by what is happening on screen.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • An early sign that this is happening is the phenomenon of companies putting caps and limits on how much their employees can spend on AI tokens, the basic cost-unit of AI.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 7 July 2026
Definition of happening
Verb
  • But meetings as close as this one are quite rare, occurring on average once about every 40 years.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 3 July 2026
  • These contain a naturally occurring bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis israeliensis (Bti), says Markowski.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 3 July 2026
Definition of occurring

Browse Nearby Words

befallen
befalling
befalls
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Cite this Entry

“Befalling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befalling. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on befalling

Nglish: Translation of befalling for Spanish Speakers

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