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
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
But this preseason, the circumstances that so often befell a roster already too thin to begin with didn’t manifest themselves for a change.
—Howard Megdal, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
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
But this preseason, the circumstances that so often befell a roster already too thin to begin with didn’t manifest themselves for a change.
—Howard Megdal, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befell
Verb
-
The cause of the accident, which happened shortly before noon in good weather, was not immediately clear.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The water reaching the Lower Basin will probably fall below that point later this year or next, which has never happened, said Brenda Burman, general manager of the Central Arizona Project.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The incident occurred just hours before dozens of flyers depicting former Prince Andrew were briefly scattered around the village of Dedham ahead of the royal visit, The Times reported.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The release said Lovely lives near where the fire occurred.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befell. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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