as in to happen
to take place
we will be happy in our new home, whatever may betide
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Recent Examples of betide
And woe betide the poor educator who, without first warning their students’ parents, makes a spontaneous remark that might offend someone’s religious beliefs.
—
Ian Millhiser, Vox, 15 Apr. 2025
Woe betide anyone who bumps into Pansy on the street, but to watch her onscreen produces a kind of bruised exhilaration; her viciousness has an awesome life force.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2025
Disney recommends paying between 18% and 20% for service and woe betide anyone who tries to avoid that charge.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
Woe betide the piece of content that risks entering the market as something wholly unfamiliar.
—Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2024
Woe betide the ally who runs afoul of American progressive opinion.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 29 Mar. 2023
Critics have been sent the season’s first four episodes, but woe betide anybody who spoils much of anything about this run of backstabbing adventures in the realm of excess.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Mar. 2023
This is a standard that the women themselves are keenly aware of, and woe betide the MILF who doesn’t fit the bill.
—Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2023
If loans to today’s students are forgiven, tomorrow’s students will have every reason to expect the same break—and woe betide the politician who says no to them.
—WSJ, 7 July 2022
Ian Millhiser, Vox, 15 Apr. 2025
Woe betide anyone who bumps into Pansy on the street, but to watch her onscreen produces a kind of bruised exhilaration; her viciousness has an awesome life force.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2025
Disney recommends paying between 18% and 20% for service and woe betide anyone who tries to avoid that charge.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
Woe betide the piece of content that risks entering the market as something wholly unfamiliar.
—Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2024
Woe betide the ally who runs afoul of American progressive opinion.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 29 Mar. 2023
Critics have been sent the season’s first four episodes, but woe betide anybody who spoils much of anything about this run of backstabbing adventures in the realm of excess.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Mar. 2023
This is a standard that the women themselves are keenly aware of, and woe betide the MILF who doesn’t fit the bill.
—Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2023
If loans to today’s students are forgiven, tomorrow’s students will have every reason to expect the same break—and woe betide the politician who says no to them.
—WSJ, 7 July 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for betide
happen
Verb
-
On Friday, May 16, the Idaho State Police (ISP) revealed the names and origin countries of the individuals who died in the May 1 crash, which happened just before 7:15 p.m. on U.S. Highway 20 near Henry's Lake State Park — about 16 miles west of Yellowstone.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
People.com,
18 May 2025
-
When this happens, passengers are asked to dump their drinks out in a dedicated dumping facility or throw the whole thing away into a trash can.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Betide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/betide. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
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