happen

verb

hap·​pen ˈha-pən 

-pᵊm

happened; happening ˈha-pə-niŋ 

ˈhap-niŋ

intransitive verb

1

: to occur by chance

—often used with it

It so happens I'm going your way.

2

: to come into being or occur as an event, process, or result

Mistakes will happen.

3

: to do, encounter, or attain something by or as if by chance

I happen to know the answer.

4

a

: to meet or discover something by chance

… happened upon a system that worked.

—Richard Corbin

b

: to come or go casually : make a chance appearance

He might happen by at any time.

5

: to come especially by way of injury or harm

I promise nothing will happen to you.

Synonyms of happen

• occur
• come
• be
• do

Examples of happen in a Sentence

Something like that was bound to happen sooner or later.

You never know what's going to happen when they get together.

What happened at school today?

“What's happening?” “They're installing new equipment.”

Recent Examples on the Web

But it was decided this would not happen following a meeting between Mourinho, Real Madrid’s general manager Jose Angel Sanchez, head of scouting Juni Calafat and Mourinho’s agent Jorge Mendes at the Santo Mauro Hotel in central Madrid. — Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026

Operating from the air, it is designed to help military forces detect and track activity and maintain a broader picture of what is happening around them. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 19 Aug. 2026

The memo says nothing about what happens when private corporations cause collateral damage to those third parties, or who will be responsible for it. — Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026

The shooting happened in the unit block of Rose Lane in the Rosegate community in New Castle County. — Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from hap

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing happen

• disaster waiting to happen
• happen along
• happen by
• happen into
• happen on/upon
• happen to

Rhymes for happen

• lapin
• terrapin

Kids Definition

happen

verb

hap·​pen ˈhap-ən 

ˈhap-ᵊm

happened; happening ˈhap-(ə-)niŋ 

1

: to occur or come about by chance

2

: to take place : occur

3

: to have occasion or opportunity

happened to overhear

4

a

: to meet or find something by chance

happened upon the right answer

b

: to appear casually or by chance

happened into the room just as the music started

5

: to come by way of injury or harm

nothing will happen to you

Etymology

Middle English happenen "to occur by chance," from hap "chance, chance occurrence" — related to happy, mishap, perhaps