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
Someone notes the rare silence that has befallen the kitchen — this gumbo is good.
—
Tribune News Service, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2024
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
What had befallen the woman’s rightful heirs?
—Leslie Camhi, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
Tribune News Service, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2024
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
What had befallen the woman’s rightful heirs?
—Leslie Camhi, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befallen
Verb
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While there is no way to know if that account is historically accurate, what happened after their deaths is easier to confirm.—
Lucas Aulbach,
The Courier-Journal,
24 Dec. 2024
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The last time that happened was when Ryan Johansen returned to Columbus after being traded to the Nashville Predators midway through the 2015-16 season.—
Aaron Portzline,
The Athletic,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Bush, who will be in New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX and previously won a Super Bowl with the Saints back in 2009, says another one of his former teams — the Detroit Lions — will end up hoisting their first Vince Lombardi Trophy when it’s all said and done.—
DJ Siddiqi,
Forbes,
8 Jan. 2025
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Slashing regulations is easier said than done Regulations account for about $93,870 of a home’s final price, according to a 2021 study by the National Association of Home Builders.—
Christopher White,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Wettest Rain accumulating in a half-inch or more has occurred twice since 1872, according to the National Weather Service.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Dec. 2024
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The plan was implemented after several high-profile incidents occurred on the city's subway system, including a deadly shooting that broke out on an elevated train platform and a train conductor who was injured in a slashing attack.—
John Bacon,
USA TODAY,
24 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Befallen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befallen. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
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