as in occurs
to take place
did anything exciting happen over the summer?
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of happens
In tennis, when the changing of the guard happens, the best often know.
—
Patrick McEnroe, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
As often happens during a crisis, the best of intentions can lead to some bad ideas.
—Matthew Kandrach, Boston Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Look for agreements that explicitly connect energy systems to digital infrastructure—because that is where the real compounding happens.
—Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Nothing of consequence ever really happens there, a fact the townspeople take as a point of pride.
—Eve Fairbanks, The Dial, 27 Jan. 2026
But that’s not actually what happens in our physiology.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 27 Jan. 2026
What happens when the clock hits midnight?
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026
Only one more thing happens before the crew departs the next morning.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Jan. 2026
Reinvention happens, for example, when one graduates with a law degree and then has a child and discovers one would rather stay at home with the baby than be in litigation all day long.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
Patrick McEnroe, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
As often happens during a crisis, the best of intentions can lead to some bad ideas.
—Matthew Kandrach, Boston Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Look for agreements that explicitly connect energy systems to digital infrastructure—because that is where the real compounding happens.
—Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Nothing of consequence ever really happens there, a fact the townspeople take as a point of pride.
—Eve Fairbanks, The Dial, 27 Jan. 2026
But that’s not actually what happens in our physiology.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 27 Jan. 2026
What happens when the clock hits midnight?
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026
Only one more thing happens before the crew departs the next morning.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Jan. 2026
Reinvention happens, for example, when one graduates with a law degree and then has a child and discovers one would rather stay at home with the baby than be in litigation all day long.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for happens
Verb
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Such cover is often used in sectors such as agriculture – with pay-outs for farmers when a flood of a set magnitude occurs, for example – and provides policyholders with a speedy settlement, rather than requiring them to negotiate with loss adjusters.—
David Prosser,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Tuesday morning will be a tad colder, thanks to light winds and efficient radiational cooling, which occurs when clear skies allow surface heat to radiate back into the atmosphere, cooling temperatures even further.—
Mary Wasson,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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There is no roadmap for what secession would entail, Solberg said, especially with questions on whether the end goal is to be independent or to join the US.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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Hugues Beaulieu said that the killings on Wednesday night appear to be linked to organized crime and there is no active shooter in the community.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Flurry of trade deals The agreement comes days after the EU signed a pivotal pact with the South American bloc Mercosur, following deals last year with Indonesia, Mexico and Switzerland.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
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The killing comes amid ongoing demonstrations across Iran, as anger continues to simmer over political repression, economic hardship and human rights abuses.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While not every product in the brand’s SOS collection includes hypochlorous acid (an excellent anti-acneic ingredient), the serum does.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
29 Jan. 2026
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When an older condo building sits on valuable land in a desirable neighborhood, like Biscayne 21 does, developers often see it as an opportunity to tear down the old and replace it with a newer, more profitable luxury condo building.—
Catherine Odom
January 29,
Miami Herald,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Happens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/happens. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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