happening

[ hap-uh-ning ]

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

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of happening¹

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

Example Sentences

What was here in potential was an immersive experience — maybe the first of its kind — where you can faithfully represent your live performance so that there’s only a few giveaways that it’s not actually happening live in front of you.

From Los Angeles Times

His word to us was: “It can’t be just spectacle — you’ve got to capture the humanity of what’s happening.”

From Los Angeles Times

That happening is a genuine fear for Mustafa Barghouti, a West Bank-based veteran Palestinian politician who is leader of the Palestinian National Initiative political movement.

From BBC

“When it did crop up occasionally through my childhood, it could have been happening in a different country for all we knew. It just felt so far removed,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s great that it’s finally happening and will be completed quickly.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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