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

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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 befall Such is the fate that befalls Meta, whose shares fell as much as 10% in after-hours trading Wednesday after the company missed earnings due to costs ballooning 55% (Meta’s stock later recovered some ground and was down 7%). — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 30 July 2026 That tendency toward downbeat storytelling has befallen many Spider-Man films over the years. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 The less time Alicent Hightower spends in the company of men, the more she’s blamed for every bad fate that’s ever befallen them. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 20 July 2026 Yes, a market slump has befallen chipmakers on and off for roughly the past month. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for befall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befall
  1. happen
  2. occur
Verb
  • But the extremely rapid pace here also raises concern about what happens if, or when, the boom starts to dissipate.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • What happened next changed the young United States, forcing people to question the line between law — which protected slavery — and justice, which demanded resistance to that law.
    — Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of happen
Verb
  • Further east in Louisiana, a storm surge of 1 to 3 feet could occur eastward toward Morgan City.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The funding bill passed by a 90-6 vote in the Senate, showing that lawmakers from both political parties want to avoid a repeat of the two historic shutdowns that occurred this past year.
    — Kevin Freking, Los Angeles Times, 31 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 4 Sep. 2026.

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