happen to

phrasal verb

happened to; happening to; happens to

: to affect or involve (someone or something) as the result of an event or action

An odd thing happened to me on my way to the office last week.

I wonder what/whatever happened to that guy after he lost his job.

especially : to affect (someone or something) in a bad or harmful way

I promise nothing will happen to you.

What happened to the car? There's a big scratch on the fender.

Examples of happen to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In a preview clip from Tuesday's episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, Blue Bloods costars Donnie Wahlberg and Bridget Moynahan share the details about their unseen dinner guest, who just so happens to be married to Wahlberg. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 23 Apr. 2024

Other questions have arisen about what happened to the artwork during the Anschluss, when Austria was annexed into the Third Reich. —Scott Reyburn, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2024

Tensions over the conflict in the Middle East have risen to the point that Columbia University’s president has canceled in-person classes Monday, which also happens to be Passover, the most celebrated of all Jewish holidays. —Chris Morris, Fortune, 22 Apr. 2024

The question then becomes what will happen to Microsoft’s hardware in the future, especially as Sony seems geared up to release a PS5 Pro this year, and Nintendo also seems set to unleash a Switch sequel in 2025. —Kyle Barr / Gizmodo, Quartz, 21 Apr. 2024

The international community is watching what is happening to children, hospital attacks, all of these things, and nothing is really moving. —Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 19 Apr. 2024

Viewers are wondering what happened to the real Martha. —Ellise Shafer, Variety, 19 Apr. 2024

He’s got a girlfriend and a best friend who happens to be a wo... —Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2024

Our favorite duos lift each other up and happen to have distinctive styles that truly resonate with us. —Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 10 Apr. 2024