as in found
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 happened (on or upon)
Verb
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Meanwhile the National Citizen Party (NCP), a political party founded by students following the uprising, has struggled to meaningfully muscle its way into Bangladesh’s fractious and often violent political scene.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026 -
Who founded Black History Month?—
Alex Perry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The city’s own data shows that last year, only about 3% of people encountered during encampment sweeps accepted a shelter bed for even a single night, and not one was connected to permanent housing.—
Jeffrey Ginsburg,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
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The first units on scene encountered heavy fire conditions and flames coming through the roof, fire officials said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
9 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Happened (on or upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/happened%20%28on%20or%20upon%29. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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