happen (upon)

verb

Definition of happen (upon)next
as in to encounter
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 happen (upon)
  1. encounter
  2. meet
  3. run across
Verb
  • One of his teams encountered thousands of these devices in Iraq.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
  • While Florida doesn’t offer the mountaintop vistas and waterfalls found in other states, there are so many trails on land and water worth exploring, with myriad flora and fauna to encounter along the way.
    — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of encounter
Verb
  • The work is part of a broader effort to understand how eVTOL aircraft can share airspace and infrastructure with conventional aircraft while meeting aviation safety requirements.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Now parties must meet, bargain and seek a way to team up for at least 61 seats in the 120-member Knesset.
    — CARA ANNA, Arkansas Online, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of meet
Verb
  • In 2024, Mandhana set the record for most international runs across formats by a woman and then beat her own record last year—a feat that contributed to her being crowned BBC Indian Sportswoman of 2025.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 June 2026
  • The fan ran across to the three-point line where San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was standing, and appeared to try to take a selfie with the player.
    — Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
Definition of run across
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.

Browse Nearby Words

happens (upon)
happen (upon)
happily
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Cite this Entry

“Happen (upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/happen%20%28upon%29. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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