as in happened
to take place
whatever befalls, we'll make the best of it and carry on
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Recent Examples of befell
Her father’s memories Bass avoided the pitfalls that befell her father.
—
Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
In any case, Carlson did not have the luxury of perseverating on what befell him.
—Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
Tragedy befell Turner’s family in 2018, when his mother succumbed to cancer.
—Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026
The same fate befell Quebec Amazon employees who unionized in 2024.
—Dónal Gill, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
The answer lies in both its tactics and in the tragedy which befell the club over the summer.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
In this soft dystopia, our military forces will not be destroyed in a cataclysmic confrontation with the armies of Communism, as befell Nazi Germany on the Eastern Front.
—Seth Harp, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
At Delta State University on Wednesday, there were few signs of the tragedy that befell the campus this week and disrupted the beginning of a new school year.
—Daniella Silva, NBC news, 18 Sep. 2025
Sadly, the midnight movie magic that befell me and my Long Treadmill compatriots will be gone from our city by then.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
In any case, Carlson did not have the luxury of perseverating on what befell him.
—Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
Tragedy befell Turner’s family in 2018, when his mother succumbed to cancer.
—Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026
The same fate befell Quebec Amazon employees who unionized in 2024.
—Dónal Gill, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
The answer lies in both its tactics and in the tragedy which befell the club over the summer.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
In this soft dystopia, our military forces will not be destroyed in a cataclysmic confrontation with the armies of Communism, as befell Nazi Germany on the Eastern Front.
—Seth Harp, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
At Delta State University on Wednesday, there were few signs of the tragedy that befell the campus this week and disrupted the beginning of a new school year.
—Daniella Silva, NBC news, 18 Sep. 2025
Sadly, the midnight movie magic that befell me and my Long Treadmill compatriots will be gone from our city by then.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befell
Verb
-
The confrontation happened Wednesday one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel in Cayo Falcones, off the northern coast of the Villa Clara province in central Cuba, according to Cuban government officials.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Gusmane Coulibaly was arrested on Thursday after his picture was circulated on a NYPD tipline for a massive snowball skirmish that happened earlier this week.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Add additional soil, if needed, if settling has occurred or standing water puddles are still present.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The earthquake's epicenter was situated about 4 miles northwest of The Geysers and occurred at a depth of just 2 miles.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befell. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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