happen

verb

hap·​pen ˈha-pən How to pronounce happen (audio)
-pᵊm
happened; happening ˈha-pə-niŋ How to pronounce happen (audio)
ˈhap-niŋ

intransitive verb

1
: to occur by chance
often used with it
it so happens I'm going your way
2
: to come into being or occur as an event, process, or result
mistakes will happen
3
: to do, encounter, or attain something by or as if by chance
I happen to know the answer
4
a
: to meet or discover something by chance
happened upon a system that workedRichard Corbin
b
: to come or go casually : make a chance appearance
he might happen by at any time
5
: to come especially by way of injury or harm
I promise nothing will happen to you

Examples of happen in a Sentence

Something like that was bound to happen sooner or later. You never know what's going to happen when they get together. What happened at school today? “What's happening?” “They're installing new equipment.”
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And while the Season 1 twist hooked enough viewers to perhaps justify that expense, the second season not only needs to remind them what happened years ago, but also pay off on the mystery—a feat few puzzle box shows accomplish. Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 18 Dec. 2024 And then also be assertive about, Hey, this is how change can happen. James Factora, Them, 18 Dec. 2024 The fact that Neanderthals and early humans interbred has been known since the first Neanderthal genome was sequenced in 2010, but these studies suggest the interactions happened more recently than scientists once thought. Justin Klawans, The Week Us, theweek, 18 Dec. 2024 But more consequential, says Kling, will be what happens when AIs gain the ability to spend the funds they’ve been allocated. Joel Khalili, WIRED, 18 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for happen 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from hap

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of happen was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near happen

Cite this Entry

“Happen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/happen. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

happen

verb
hap·​pen ˈhap-ən How to pronounce happen (audio)
ˈhap-ᵊm
happened; happening ˈhap-(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce happen (audio)
1
: to occur or come about by chance
2
: to take place : occur
3
: to have occasion or opportunity
happened to overhear
4
a
: to meet or find something by chance
happened upon the right answer
b
: to appear casually or by chance
happened into the room just as the music started
5
: to come by way of injury or harm
nothing will happen to you
Etymology

Middle English happenen "to occur by chance," from hap "chance, chance occurrence" — related to happy, mishap, perhaps

More from Merriam-Webster on happen

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