befell
bi-ˈfel 
bē-
; befallen
bi-ˈfȯ-lən
bē-
: to happen especially as if by fate
: to happen to
the fate that befell them
Synonyms
Examples of befall in a Sentence
It's sad to think of the unhappy fate that befell him.
The drought was only one of many hardships to befall the small country.
Recent Examples on the Web
In fact, the California counties most deeply affected according to the Senate dataset were in northern and inland parts of the state — suggesting the fate that has befallen Southern California could someday be replicated elsewhere in the state.
—
Rob Wile, NBC News, 14 Jan. 2025
People upset with the American healthcare systems would be wise to take a look at the misery that befalls patients in countries with government-run systems.
—Sally Pipes, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Well, there’s no denying that Assad, as the autocratic President of Syria, is first and foremost responsible for the catastrophe that has befallen Syria since 2011—legally, morally, politically, and militarily.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 3 Dec. 2024
This is the same scrutiny that befell Trump’s former opponent.
—Rebecca Schneid, TIME, 27 Oct. 2024
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Rob Wile, NBC News, 14 Jan. 2025
People upset with the American healthcare systems would be wise to take a look at the misery that befalls patients in countries with government-run systems.
—Sally Pipes, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Well, there’s no denying that Assad, as the autocratic President of Syria, is first and foremost responsible for the catastrophe that has befallen Syria since 2011—legally, morally, politically, and militarily.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 3 Dec. 2024
This is the same scrutiny that befell Trump’s former opponent.
—Rebecca Schneid, TIME, 27 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for befall
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Cite this Entry
“Befall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/befall. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
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