as in to find
to come upon unexpectedly or by chance
happened on the filming of a movie
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for happen (on or upon)
Verb
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Some residents have found debris as far as two miles from the facility, according to the Hickman County Sheriff’s office.—
Isabel Rosales,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025 -
Don’t expect to find an M5 in an iPhone, though.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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So the story continues to encounter somebody who our heroes think is bad, and then learn that our heroes would have done the same thing in that position.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
18 Oct. 2025
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Vought also encountered resistance inside the White House.—
Andy Kroll,
ProPublica,
18 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Happen (on or upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/happen%20%28on%20or%20upon%29. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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