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Synonyms

happenstance

American  
[hap-uhn-stans] / ˈhæp ənˌstæns /

noun

  1. a chance happening happen or event.

happenstance British  
/ ˈhæpənˌstæns /

noun

  1. chance

  2. a chance occurrence

"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

Etymology

Origin of happenstance

First recorded in 1895–1900; happen + (circum)stance

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.

Fun fact: That Post-it Notes were originally yellow was happenstance, too; that’s the color scrap paper the lab next door had available.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

Many of Burns’ works do, purely by happenstance.

From Salon • Nov. 15, 2025

For Sebastián Yatra, a miracle doesn’t have to be a grandiose happenstance; it can be a child’s smile, the perfect cup of tea or rain on a sunny day.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2025

The initial Metro Bashers came to their hobby independently, meeting through happenstance and their shared love of the rail network.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2025

One day she came across a rabbit, purely by happenstance.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

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.