happen
verb (used without object)
to take place; come to pass; occur.
happened
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past participleof happen.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof happen.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
happenverb (used without object)to take place; come to pass; occur.
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.
Rather than the story dying out, a funny thing happened.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
“He said, ‘Let’s focus on a seemingly idyllic small town, like in “Our Town,” and examine what happened and why.’”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Watching the vehicles stream past her, 73-year-old Imm Khaldoun told me emphatically that, no matter what happened, she would always return to her land.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
"She was crying a lot, but we didn't know what had happened" at that point, the person told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
The climax was the dedication of a memorial plaque explaining what had happened to Phineas and to brain science as a result.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
