as in coincidence
formal + literary
something that happens by chance
Our meeting was pure happenstance. We met each other by happenstance.
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Recent Examples of happenstance
This one came to the company almost by happenstance.
—
Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
For instance, by happenstance, on the opening day of IBC filmmaker Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) began continuously projecting Occupied City, his 32-hour documentary about the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam on the outside walls of the Rijksmuseum, the Netherlands’ most distinguished museum.
—David Bloom, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, Nashville resident Brittani Logsdon said her Iceland trip was the result of a happenstance and spontaneity.
—Hadley Hitson, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Jessica Francis Kane on Penelope Fitzgerald, Hermione Lee, and authorial happenstance.
—Lit Hub Daily, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for happenstance
Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
For instance, by happenstance, on the opening day of IBC filmmaker Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) began continuously projecting Occupied City, his 32-hour documentary about the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam on the outside walls of the Rijksmuseum, the Netherlands’ most distinguished museum.
—David Bloom, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, Nashville resident Brittani Logsdon said her Iceland trip was the result of a happenstance and spontaneity.
—Hadley Hitson, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Jessica Francis Kane on Penelope Fitzgerald, Hermione Lee, and authorial happenstance.
—Lit Hub Daily, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for happenstance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for happenstance
Noun
-
The fact that the county is looking to launch the same number of spots appears to be a coincidence, although two leaders from Father Joe’s — Chief Health Officer Megan Partch and Chief Strategy Officer Joshua Bohannan — showed up to Tuesday’s board meeting to praise the proposal.—
Blake Nelson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Nov. 2025
-
But this collection of towering buildings isn’t a coincidence.—
Aaron Randolph,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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In the filing, the group alleges that Wisconsin law doesn't allow officers to make civil arrests except in certain circumstances that do not apply to civil immigration enforcement.—
Laura Schulte,
jsonline.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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Fort Worth police plan an investigation to collect and review the facts and the circumstances of the case.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Happenstance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/happenstance. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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