as in happened
to take place
whatever befalls, we'll make the best of it and carry on
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Recent Examples of befallen
This made many scientists confident that large catastrophes hadn’t befallen our planet in the past, and, thus, were also unlikely to occur in the future.
—
Thomas Moynihan, Big Think, 7 Mar. 2025
Those words euphemize a cascade of traumas that have befallen higher education since Inauguration Day.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2025
Injuries have also befallen attacking stars Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Martin Ødegaard this term, and the team didn’t recruit a goalscorer during the January transfer window—a tough market to find the right talent at the right price.
—Henry Flynn, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Nothing so dramatic had befallen me.
—Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
In fact, the California counties most deeply affected according to the Senate dataset were in northern and inland parts of the state — suggesting the fate that has befallen Southern California could someday be replicated elsewhere in the state.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 14 Jan. 2025
White House officials said on Friday that the truth behind the mysterious ailments known as Havana Syndrome was still unknown, contradicting a new intelligence assessment about what had befallen spies and diplomats for the last nine years.
—Julian E. Barnes, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Well, there’s no denying that Assad, as the autocratic President of Syria, is first and foremost responsible for the catastrophe that has befallen Syria since 2011—legally, morally, politically, and militarily.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 3 Dec. 2024
What disaster has befallen this world?
—Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Nov. 2024
Thomas Moynihan, Big Think, 7 Mar. 2025
Those words euphemize a cascade of traumas that have befallen higher education since Inauguration Day.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2025
Injuries have also befallen attacking stars Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Martin Ødegaard this term, and the team didn’t recruit a goalscorer during the January transfer window—a tough market to find the right talent at the right price.
—Henry Flynn, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Nothing so dramatic had befallen me.
—Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
In fact, the California counties most deeply affected according to the Senate dataset were in northern and inland parts of the state — suggesting the fate that has befallen Southern California could someday be replicated elsewhere in the state.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 14 Jan. 2025
White House officials said on Friday that the truth behind the mysterious ailments known as Havana Syndrome was still unknown, contradicting a new intelligence assessment about what had befallen spies and diplomats for the last nine years.
—Julian E. Barnes, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Well, there’s no denying that Assad, as the autocratic President of Syria, is first and foremost responsible for the catastrophe that has befallen Syria since 2011—legally, morally, politically, and militarily.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 3 Dec. 2024
What disaster has befallen this world?
—Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befallen
Verb
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The crash, like most in Sacramento, happened at night on a dangerous road.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacramento Bee,
11 Mar. 2025
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Ford, who also opened The Butcher’s Club in Palm Beach Gardens in 2022, can’t quite believe everything that has happened in the past few months.—
Connie Ogle,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The Chicago Cubs have done a lot to shape their team into a postseason contender over the last few months, and, to this point, it's paid off quite well.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Apr. 2025
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But leadership is not just what gets done.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Kimberly’s mom also claimed that the incident occurred after her daughter was involved in an argument with Downe.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
11 Mar. 2025
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The bus was transporting passengers from Katlehong, a township east of Johannesburg, and was nearing its highway exit when the incident occurred, officials said.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Befallen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befallen. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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