as in encounters
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 happens (upon)
Verb
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Katherine McKenzie, the director of the Yale Center for Asylum Medicine, which conducts physical evaluations of people who are applying for asylum, said her organization typically encounters one or two cases a year of female genital mutilation.—
Emilia Otte,
Hartford Courant,
12 Mar. 2026 -
This tree encounters few diseases, and most issues are resolved by increasing airflow.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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February 19 – March 20 When compassion meets structure, your path steadies.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
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The location – Britain’s only desert, where sparse natural life meets heavy industrial infrastructure – provides both the visual setting and a thematic undercurrent.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
11 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Happens (upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/happens%20%28upon%29. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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