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Definition of "happen" []

  • To come to pass. (verb-intransitive)
  • To come into being. (verb-intransitive)
  • To take place or occur by chance. (verb-intransitive)
  • To come upon something by chance. (verb-intransitive)
  • To come or go casually; make an appearance. (verb-intransitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "happen" in a sentence
  • "We Americans show very little care about atrocities that happen *as they happen*, and even less once they are past."
  • "Sub-junctive_; which may or may not happen, hence introduced by an _if_, equal to _gif_, _give_, _grant_, _provided it so happen_."
  • "What needs to happen is to have consumers write and visit their lawmakers regularly."