as in to find
to come upon unexpectedly or by chance
happened on the filming of a movie
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for happen (on or upon)
Verb
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If finding indoor shelter is not an option: Stay away from open fields, hill summits, or ridge tops.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
7 June 2025 -
Fears that a serial killer is at large were reignited by the recent discovery of a body in a Texas lake, where 19 corpses have been found over the past three years.—
Sophie Clark,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 June 2025
Verb
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Domestic cats descend from desert-dwelling ancestors who rarely encountered large bodies of water.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
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Yankees supporters are accustomed to Dodger Stadium being hostile ground, but being hit by a chunk of concrete falling from the stadium ceiling is beyond what fans steel themselves to encounter.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2025
Verb
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That comes across in Daisy, Dasha Nekrasova’s character, who conveys a certain knowing amusement with the whole thing.—
Abigail Lee,
Variety,
14 June 2025
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That’s mostly the reason why The Boondocks and old Simpsons come across as brilliant and prophetic.—
Nic Juarez,
Vulture,
12 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Happen (on or upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/happen%20%28on%20or%20upon%29. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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