befall

verb

bi-ˈfȯl How to pronounce befall (audio)
Definition of befallnext
as in to happen
to take place whatever befalls, we'll make the best of it and carry on

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of befall Yes, a market slump has befallen chipmakers on and off for roughly the past month. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 17 July 2026 Rather, according to his mom and dad, something more nefarious could have befallen him — and been covered up. — Adam Carlson, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026 Hell House takes its time spinning the tale of misfortune that befalls the central investigators. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026 Castillo basically needs another scandal to befall Cervantes at this point. — Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for befall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befall
  1. happen
  2. occur
Verb
  • And this is one of those things that flags my lack of comprehension of most things happening in my midst.
    — John Ramos, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • There’s no need to theorize about what happened here because the obvious answer is Bret Easton Ellis signed off on the first two episodes and then abandoned the adaptation.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of happen
Verb
  • Defaults occur when borrowers are more than nine months behind on their payments.
    — Jason Armesto, AJC.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Three total solar eclipses within about two years occur because three separate Saros series happen to align over a short period.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of occur

Browse Nearby Words

beetling
befall
befallen
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Befall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befall. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on befall

Nglish: Translation of befall for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All