Synonyms

occur

American

[uh-kur] / əˈkɜr /

verb (used without object)

occurred, occurring

to happen; take place; come to pass.

When did the accident occur?

Synonyms:

befall
to be met with or found; present itself; appear.

Modest amounts of fructose occur naturally in fruits and vegetables.

Synonyms:

offer, exist, arise
to suggest itself in thought; come to mind (usually followed byto ).

An idea occurred to me.

occur British

/ əˈkɜː /

verb

to happen; take place; come about
to be found or be present; exist
(foll by to) to be realized or thought of (by); suggest itself (to)

"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

Usage

It is usually regarded as incorrect to talk of pre-arranged events occurring or happening : the wedding took place (not occurred or happened ) in the afternoon

Related Words

See happen.

Other Word Forms

preoccur verb (used without object)
reoccur verb (used without object)
unoccurring adjective

Etymology

Origin of occur

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin occurrere “to run to meet, arrive, meet,” equivalent to oc- oc- + currere “to run”

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.

"Even when the political conditions are such that it's unlikely that a war crimes case would be prosecuted successfully in the moment," he said, "that doesn't mean that accountability won't occur at a later date."

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

McCawley added that the dismissal of the harassment claims was based on the court’s determination that Lively was an independent contractor rather than an employee, not a finding that the alleged conduct did not occur.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

Delayed discharges, which occur when a patient is clinically ready to leave a hospital but is forced to remain in a bed because necessary social care, support, or housing is unavailable, are incomparable.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

Sysco expects the acquisition of Jetro to start adding to earnings in the first year after closing, which is expected to occur by the quarter that ends March 2027.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

“And it did not occur to you that he may have simply found something better to do?”

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023