transpire
Americanverb (used without object)
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transpires,
present (3rd person singular)
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transpired,
past participle, past
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transpiring
present participle
-
to occur; happen; take place.
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to emit or give off waste matter, watery vapor, etc., through the surface, as of the body or of leaves.
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to escape, as moisture or odor, through or as if through pores.
-
to be revealed or become known.
verb (used with object)
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transpires,
present (3rd person singular)
-
transpired,
past participle, past
-
transpiring
present participle
verb
-
(intr) to come to light; be known
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informal (intr) to happen or occur
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physiol to give off or exhale (water or vapour) through the skin, a mucous membrane, etc
-
(of plants) to lose (water in the form of water vapour), esp through the stomata of the leaves
Usage
It is often maintained that transpire should not be used to mean happen or occur, as in the event transpired late in the evening , and that the word is properly used to mean become known, as in it transpired later that the thief had been caught . The word is, however, widely used in the former sense, esp in spoken English
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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transpiresimple
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transpiressimple
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have transpiredperfect
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has transpiredperfect
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am transpiringprogressive
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are transpiringprogressive
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is transpiringprogressive
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have been transpiringperfect progressive
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has been transpiringperfect progressive
Past
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transpiredsimple
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had transpiredperfect
-
was transpiringprogressive
-
were transpiringprogressive
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had been transpiringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of transpire
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Middle French transpirer, from Medieval Latin trānspīrāre, equivalent to Latin trāns- trans- + spīrāre “to breathe”
Explanation
Transpire is a fancy way of saying "happen." You might go to a fortune teller to find out what will transpire in the future. Originally used to express when information became known or came to light, many purists will tell you that's really the best way to use transpire. It can also mean releasing vapor into the air, like when a plant transpires water through its leaves on a hot day. Note: you'll usually encounter this word in its past tense: for example, "We had to watch the replay to figure out what had transpired."
Vocabulary lists containing transpire
The Great Gatsby
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"To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell
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I Am Malala
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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.
See Examples For:
Analysts are split about whether that sort of transaction could still transpire in the near term.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 3, 2026
That does not look like it will transpire, as personal terms between City and the player are not expected to be an issue.
From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2026
“Although the events of April were somewhat of an outlier, a slightly less extreme version of those kind of episodes may well transpire again.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 8, 2025
Venezuelan journalist Ronna Rísquez Sánchez said it is unclear whether Maduro actually directs illicit activities conducted by his military or simply allows it to transpire among his government.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 25, 2025
What on earth of importance could transpire in so dingy a place?
From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright
Freedom of the seas, it transpires, is challenging to enforce.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 21, 2026
Oranges, it transpires, have been at the centre of it.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2025
This woman, it transpires, is fleeing an unhappy marriage; she invites herself onboard and persuades Jatgeir to run away with her.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2025
What transpires is simply another line of questioning, like finally completing a 1,000-piece puzzle, only to somehow find another piece sitting under the instructions in the box.
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2025
He said, “If ever it transpires that I am in trouble, I shall indeed send for you.”
From "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman
Chief executive Matthew Pavlich said the club was "still piecing together exactly what's transpired", and would not be drawn on what the specific allegations are.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
Much of the regional violence that has since transpired reflects how Iran is trying to reset its relations with its neighbors and gain the upper hand, Pollack said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
Alas, the old girl couldn’t compete with the assortment of crises that transpired during the show’s three-week hiatus, including the once-in-a-lifetime comedy opportunity presented by explosive headlines about explosive diarrhea.
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026
Quebec Premier Christine Frechette said she was "deeply shaken by the tragic events," while urging people to "avoid speculation," about what transpired.
From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026
I explained what had transpired and that I would be leaving the next day.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
This Musk v Altman trial is transpiring as the public has only just started to grapple with AI's complicated entry into our lives.
From BBC ● Apr. 28, 2026
Paul Vieira covers Canada for The Wall Street Journal, and is based in Ottawa.He writes about what’s transpiring in the U.S.’s northern neighbor with an eye toward the broader global context.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 18, 2025
“I think it was hard enough for the SEC and others to understand what was transpiring in the market then.”
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2025
But finer than all that was the chilling fact that Ibsen’s text, as adapted by Amy Herzog, sounded as if it had been written yesterday — and could still be transpiring in real life tomorrow.
From New York Times ● Dec. 4, 2023
I had been isolated from developments in other parts of the country and was eager to see for myself what was transpiring in the hinterlands.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
