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
Farmer said that implies the lack of grocery stores or healthy food access is happenstance.
—
La Risa R. Lynch, jsonline.com, 23 Aug. 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
The swim began July 26 at the spot in the water where the freighter’s journey ended, 17 miles northwest of the Whitefish Point lighthouse, which in fatal happenstance was inoperable the night of the ship’s sinking.
—John Carlisle, Freep.com, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for happenstance
La Risa R. Lynch, jsonline.com, 23 Aug. 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
The swim began July 26 at the spot in the water where the freighter’s journey ended, 17 miles northwest of the Whitefish Point lighthouse, which in fatal happenstance was inoperable the night of the ship’s sinking.
—John Carlisle, Freep.com, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for happenstance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for happenstance
Noun
-
In an unusual coincidence, the first MusiCares ceremony, which honored the late David Crosby in 1991, was held the same week Carey won three Grammys off her debut album.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
21 Oct. 2025
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That’s not coincidence — that’s coaching.—
D’Joumbarey Moreau,
Miami Herald,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
And yet, that offers little to no comfort in the face of such catastrophic circumstances.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The cameras were back 18 years later in very different circumstances, as the disgraced former President set off to begin a five-year sentence at La Santé prison in Paris.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Happenstance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/happenstance. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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