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
  • Authorities said his car was found at the Mount Adams trailhead, while his remains were found on the Allen Mountain Trail.
    Saleen Martin, USA Today, 14 May 2025
  • Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • Gone are the secondary weapon modes, grenades, chainsaws, and flamethrowers that made enemy encounters a complicated weapon and ammo juggling act.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 9 May 2025
  • The fact Maresca felt secure enough to make either selection — in the Conference League knockout stage, no less — underlines the total lack of jeopardy Chelsea have encountered on their road to the final in Wroclaw, save for one nervy second half in their qualifier against Servette back in August.
    Liam Twomey, New York Times, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • Her crew comes across a shipwreck and morally wrestles with saving the survivors or leaving them to die and conserve their own depleting supplies, and a dark folkloric creature rises in the aftermath.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 May 2025
  • The underlying data may support Arteta’s argument, but his comments nevertheless come across as somewhat defensive.
    James McNicholas, New York Times, 10 May 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 22 May. 2025.

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