as in to encounter
to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face
happened upon the hotel manager in the lobby and promptly complained about the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for happen (upon)
Verb
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The film follows a young woman who, visited by visions of her future self, encounters a stranger whose appearance reshapes the course of her evening – and possibly her life.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
15 June 2026 -
Rather than viewed from behind ropes or glass, guests encounter the art here organically.—
Sarah Kingdom,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Gharibabadi said the 60-day negotiations between Tehran and Washington after Friday’s signing of the agreement will hinge on the US meeting several obligations, including the release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
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Bumping into someone wasn’t met with frustration, but with a grin and a comment about the Knicks, as if the entire city had agreed to give each other a pass from the stereotypical crankiness for one single night.—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
14 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Happen (upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/happen%20%28upon%29. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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