happen (on or upon)

verb

Definition of happen (on or upon)next
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)
  1. find
  2. encounter
  3. come across
Verb
  • Following a breakaway, Barbra Banda found Haley McCutcheon at the top of the box for the first-time finish and 1-0 lead in the third minute.
    — Phuoc Nguyen, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • While all of the women found their respective moment to shine, no one rose to the occasion quite like Luann de Lesseps, who seemingly decided on her own that Kyle’s white party would be the perfect backdrop for a cabaret performance like none other.
    — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of find
Verb
  • Longer hikes often require a minimum of six walkers due to the possibility of encountering aforementioned bears.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • In Eagle-Vail, CPW is also investigating after a bear encountered a person at an apartment complex, resulting in a minor injury.
    — Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of encounter
Verb
  • Lead vocalist Jacob Bannon came across the phenomenon when researching his own tinnitus and reimagined it as a culmination of all the pain and suffering in human existence.
    — Alex Robert Ross, Pitchfork, 24 June 2026
  • So Veena’s mother turned to the internet, came across a blog post about Real Love and spoke to the woman who wrote it, a mother whose son had been suicidal.
    — Rich Schapiro, NBC news, 20 June 2026
Definition of come across
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.

Browse Nearby Words

happening (upon)
happen (on or upon)
happens
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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 29 Aug. 2026.

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