transpire
Americanverb (used without object)
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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.
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to be revealed or become known.
verb (used with object)
verb
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(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
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(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
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was transpiringprogressive
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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:
While major chip makers have some helium supply in reserve, there’s some uncertainty about what would transpire if the conflict were to drag on and disrupt helium production over a longer span.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 13, 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
"Sport is unpredictable, you don't know how things are going to transpire," he says.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 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
And very little that transpires between the current-day Chase and his director would belie the notion that Mr. Chase’s brand has gone down a hole of his own digging.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 30, 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
The music becomes a soundtrack to solidarity - which, it transpires, was Taylor's intention.
From BBC ● Apr. 18, 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
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
The termination of the workers who lack due process job protections, including some teachers, transpired without an announcement but has been confirmed by officials.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026
As it transpired, Wales missed out last month and, soon afterwards, Ramsey made the decision official.
From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2026
“Those who truly know how it all transpired know that this 1,000-year flood could not have been anticipated.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
Then transpired my confusion, for I wore them, and knew not how with delicacy to change my dress with the ladies present.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
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
Imagine the trash talk that might be transpiring with Lappe on second base talking to Brooks, one of his best friends who plays shortstop.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 15, 2026
“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
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 ● Sep. 25, 2025
The horror transpiring in front of me, suspended for one disbelieving instant.
From "The Rock and the River" by Kekla Magoon
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.
