as in finding
to come upon unexpectedly or by chance
happened on the filming of a movie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for happening (on or upon)
Verb
-
Rutgers-Eagleton’s mid-October survey mirrored that trend, finding 42 percent of voters viewed Sherrill favorably and 45 percent unfavorably, while Ciattarelli’s numbers were 41 percent favorable and 47 percent unfavorable.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025 -
And with 23andMe filing for bankruptcy earlier this year, her chances of finding any additional siblings may be dwindling.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Everyone has the right to remain silent and does not have to disclose their immigration status when encountering federal agents.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Motorists should be prepared to slow down when encountering dense fog.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Happening (on or upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/happening%20%28on%20or%20upon%29. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share