Synonyms

occur

American

[uh-kur] / əˈkɜr /

verb (used without object)

occurred, occurring

to happen; take place; come to pass.

When did the accident occur?

Synonyms:

befall
to be met with or found; present itself; appear.

Modest amounts of fructose occur naturally in fruits and vegetables.

Synonyms:

offer, exist, arise
to suggest itself in thought; come to mind (usually followed byto ).

An idea occurred to me.

occur British

/ əˈkɜː /

verb

to happen; take place; come about
to be found or be present; exist
(foll by to) to be realized or thought of (by); suggest itself (to)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

It is usually regarded as incorrect to talk of pre-arranged events occurring or happening : the wedding took place (not occurred or happened ) in the afternoon

Related Words

See happen.

Other Word Forms

preoccur verb (used without object)
reoccur verb (used without object)
unoccurring adjective

Etymology

Origin of occur

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin occurrere “to run to meet, arrive, meet,” equivalent to oc- oc- + currere “to run”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In the study, pregnant and nursing mice given a naturally occurring compound made by healthy gut bacteria had offspring with much lower rates of fatty liver disease as they grew older.

From Science Daily

Extinction was projected only in hypothetical scenarios where very low juvenile survival occurred, with around 20% failing to reach adulthood, combined with extremely poor reproduction limited to a maximum of one chick per pair.

From Science Daily

However, by the time of the Matuyama-Brunhes transition, these groups appear to have already diverged, suggesting any contact occurred earlier.

From Science Daily

Multiple sclerosis occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks myelin, the protective layer surrounding nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord.

From Science Daily

It most commonly occurs between ages 45 and 55 and is often accompanied by symptoms such as hot flushes, low mood, and disrupted sleep.

From Science Daily

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023