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
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Ukrainians, ever resilient, have found some ways to cope with the cold.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
24 Feb. 2026 -
Worshippers arriving for the day's first prayers found the damage and a smoldering fire that spewed black smoke across the entrance of the Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Mosque in the town of Tell, near Nablus, and stained the ornate doorway.—
AREF TUFAHA,
Arkansas Online,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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They’re typically encountered at ports of entry by federal agents, and receive notices to appear in immigration court, usually in one to three years.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
22 Feb. 2026
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The gold also caps off a four-year cycle during which Gu struggled with panic attacks and encountered online trolling in both the United States and China, where some citizens see her as a privileged interloper.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
22 Feb. 2026
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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 26 Feb. 2026.
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