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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
  • At least 211 people were rescued from an Indonesian ferry that caught fire last month in rough seas near the Indonesian tourist island of Bali, while one person was found dead and four others remained missing.
    — IMAN SATRIA, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Later’s 2026 research on Gen-Z creator ROI found that trust and authentic creator relationships matter more to conversions than simply maximizing reach, while over-scripting creators can undermine that trust.
    — Sergi Cerrato, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of find
Verb
  • Let someone encounter the version that still contains a little uncertainty.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Secor is studying new ink materials designed to withstand extreme conditions, including the temperature swings encountered in space.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 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
See all Nearby Words

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 Sep. 2026.

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