as in coincidence
formal + literary
something that happens by chance
Our meeting was pure happenstance. We met each other by happenstance.
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Recent Examples of happenstance
And that's obviously not by happenstance.
—
Bill Whitaker, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
That wasn’t just happenstance, either.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Its beginning, however, was somewhat happenstance.
—Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
The 30-year-olds met by happenstance when Michel was moved to Basobas’ floor at LPL Financial.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for happenstance
Bill Whitaker, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
That wasn’t just happenstance, either.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Its beginning, however, was somewhat happenstance.
—Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
The 30-year-olds met by happenstance when Michel was moved to Basobas’ floor at LPL Financial.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for happenstance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for happenstance
Noun
-
Just the same, the flip side of this is that baseball is notoriously fickle and often deceptive from one day to the next, with the line between coincidence and trend ever-blurry.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
-
That venue choice was no coincidence, as the new album is in many ways a meditation on the group’s cultural identity.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
At a time when festivals like Sol Blume, Goldensky and Breakaway have been cancelled or postponed, citing costs or unforeseen circumstances, Channel 24 credits the Sacramento community as the key to their success.—
Madisen Keavy,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
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Her engaging novels feature memorable characters facing unique and complex circumstances, often against a backdrop of historical significance.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Happenstance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/happenstance. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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