hit (upon)

as in to find
to come upon unexpectedly or by chance the popular belief that Sir Isaac Newton hit upon his understanding of gravity at the sight of an apple falling from a tree

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hit (upon)
Verb
  • With Mark Scheifele and Connor cycling on the outside, trying desperately to find a chance in the middle, Iafallo drove to the net and jumped on a Scheifele rebound, scoring the game-tying goal while off balance in the slot.
    Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Those few minutes sent students scrambling for cover and barricading themselves around campus until authorities found them.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The investigating vessels encountered three Chinese coast guard vessels, whose movements became increasingly confrontational as their South Korean counterparts neared their destination at about 2:30 p.m. February 26, according to media accounts.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The server encountered a temporary error and could not complete your request.
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 16 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In all his years of service, Bui hardly ever came across another who shared experiences of the fall of Saigon.
    Jennifer Brookland, Mercury News, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Recommending most investors just own an S & P 500 index fund — and suggesting individual stocks are too risky for most people — comes across as denigrating your abilities.
    Jim Cramer, CNBC, 27 Apr. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Hit (upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hit%20%28upon%29. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

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