happened

hap-pened · verb

imported

Definitions

verb

  1. 1.

    Past tense and past participle of "happen"; took place.

  2. 2.

    Past tense of "happen"; came about by chance.

  3. 3.

    Past tense of "happen"; befell.

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    what happened? — Asking about an event.
  • •
    as it happened — As things turned out.
  • •
    whatever happened to...? — Asking about someone's fate.
  • •
    it happened that — It was the case that.

Related words

See also: happen, happening, happens
Synonyms: occurred, took place, transpired

Etymology

Past tense of "happen," from Middle English happenen.