happening

American  

[hap-uh-ning] / ˈhæp ə nɪŋ /

noun

1. something that happens; occurrence; event.

   Synonyms:

   case, affair, instance, episode, incident

2. an unconventional dramatic or artistically orchestrated performance, often a series of discontinuous events involving audience participation.

3. any event considered worthwhile, unusual, or interesting.

---

happening British  

/ ˈhæpənɪŋ, ˈhæpnɪŋ /

noun

1. an occurrence; event

2. an improvised or spontaneous display or performance consisting of bizarre and haphazard events

---

adjective

1. informal fashionable and up-to-the-minute

Etymology

Origin of happening

First recorded in 1545–55; 1965–70 happening for def. 2; happen + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

At the start of each season, he would ask his self-described “Satan’s writers’ room” the same question: “What’s happening in the world that you find infuriating or terrifying?”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

“I’ve never heard of that happening before,” said former federal prosecutor Rick Mountcastle, speaking generally about DOJ protocols.

From Salon • Jun. 10, 2026

“SpaceX is happening on Friday, but we may be getting OpenAI and Anthropic later in the year,” Sam Taube, NerdWallet’s lead investing writer, said in an interview.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

But the hassle can make it feel like a couple of thousand dollars, especially if it keeps happening.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

I figure I just took a weird step, so I keep jogging, but it keeps happening.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

Related Words

• accident
• adventure
• circumstance
• incident
• milestone
• phenomenon
• proceeding