as in occurs
to take place
did anything exciting happen over the summer?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of happens
What happens next Authorities emphasize that the charges are allegations, and Mance is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
—
Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
What happens when that falls apart?
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
The 2026 edition of the annual IFPDA Print Fair closed Sunday with record attendance and strong sales, offering an early look at what happens when a fair built on prints starts to stretch beyond them.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
And instead of everyone reaching for their phones, something different happens.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
And when light passes through warps in spacetime, something fascinating happens.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Where does this leave the 14-day ceasefire, and what happens after that?
—Farah N. Jan, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2026
Hydroplaning happens when a vehicle starts sliding uncontrollably on wet roads.
—Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2026
The real action happens outside of the courtroom—at the Cairo Club, or the bar at the Lafayette Hotel, or F&M Patio Bar—where the heat and the music and the drinks have a way of bringing Lemann back to herself.
—Brandy Jensen, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2026
Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
What happens when that falls apart?
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
The 2026 edition of the annual IFPDA Print Fair closed Sunday with record attendance and strong sales, offering an early look at what happens when a fair built on prints starts to stretch beyond them.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
And instead of everyone reaching for their phones, something different happens.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
And when light passes through warps in spacetime, something fascinating happens.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Where does this leave the 14-day ceasefire, and what happens after that?
—Farah N. Jan, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2026
Hydroplaning happens when a vehicle starts sliding uncontrollably on wet roads.
—Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2026
The real action happens outside of the courtroom—at the Cairo Club, or the bar at the Lafayette Hotel, or F&M Patio Bar—where the heat and the music and the drinks have a way of bringing Lemann back to herself.
—Brandy Jensen, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for happens
Verb
-
The plots of these shows usually center on a murder, which occurs not so much to end a human life as to inconvenience our star, who must postpone a brunch or a media event to conceal an inconvenient corpse.—
Libby Gelman-Waxner,
New Yorker,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The two are so silly, so loopily in synch, that the scene, which occurs halfway through the second act, lifts the entire show, giving it a buoyancy that has been lacking during its exposition-heavy beginning.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There is no threat to the community.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
There is nothing else, no grander messaging to be pulled from the footage.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The incident comes as Mexico prepares to be a host country for this summer’s World Cup soccer extravaganza.—
Foreign Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Apr. 2026
-
That’s where the accountability on Brunson comes into play.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While some cleansers strip skin of moisture while purifying pores and removing dirt and oil, this one does the opposite, according to shoppers.—
Nicol Natale,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The 37-year-old scores in bunches and does it efficiently, Redick said.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Happens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/happens. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
