happened

verb

past tense of happen
as in occurred
to take place did anything exciting happen over the summer?

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 happened Now, as her family, friends and fans mourn, questions remain about what happened in the actress’ final hours before her death at age 36, far from home at an apartment in South Carolina. — Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026 Although the crime happened in Kansas City, Argyriou said, so did the response. — Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 22 Aug. 2026 On the other hand, a person may act paradoxically—perhaps by going on about their day as if nothing happened. — Michele Patterson Ford, Scientific American, 22 Aug. 2026 The toddler was pronounced dead after being found unresponsive in a residential pool in Harris County, Texas, on June 28, a person briefed on what happened told The Associated Press. — ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026 The answer that keeps surfacing has less to do with what happened than with how the person ended up telling it. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 Over the years it's happened repeatedly in this history of UFOs. — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 22 Aug. 2026 Per the show’s co-creators Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack, though, that’s not what happened. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2026 The shootings, which happened near campus residence halls, remain under investigation. — John Woodrow Cox, Washington Post, 15 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for happened
  1. occurred
  2. came
  3. was
  4. did
Verb
  • More than six weeks later, authorities are still investigating and have given no public indication that a crime occurred.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The proposal is expected to relate to convictions that occurred within the last 10 years.
    — Gabe Kaminsky, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of occurred
Verb
  • That came just a few days after news broke that Palantir had secured a $10 billion contract from the US Army over the next decade.
    — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
  • All five of Bednar’s outs came via strikeout on Wednesday.
    — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 7 Aug. 2025
Definition of came
Verb
  • There was a pause, as a room full of songwriters — the event was specifically for the Recording Academy’s Songwriters & Composers Wing — erupted into laughter.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Toby Xu, Alibaba Group’s chief financial officer, said there was revenue growth and margin gains across the company’s core businesses.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of was
Verb
  • Johnson’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday, nor did HUD officials.
    — Lizzie Kane, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Wisconsin Republicans did the same last year, and similar efforts have been raised in other states.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2025
Definition of did

Browse Nearby Words

happenchances
happened
happened (by)
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Cite this Entry

“Happened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/happened. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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