as in encountering
to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face
happened upon the hotel manager in the lobby and promptly complained about the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for happening (upon)
Verb
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For some classes, participants are invited to harvest herbs from the Grunsfeld Children’s Growing Garden, encountering firsthand the seed-to-plate process.—
Nicole Schnitzler,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026 -
At a time of widespread angst over runaway ticket prices, merely encountering something novel at a concert isn’t enough for many to justify the cost of getting in the door, particularly when superstars like Taylor Swift and SZA are on the road showing that innovation and value can coexist.—
Vanessa Franko,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Monahan reveals the song was a story about meeting his wife, Amber.—
Ralphie Aversa,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The item has not been approved or denied and will be on the agenda for the Board of Estimates meeting on April 15.—
Chevall Pryce,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Happening (upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/happening%20%28upon%29. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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