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.

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

So if an audience stays in the same spot for the entire night, they will see the same scene occur six times every 15 minutes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

Upon closing of the deal, which is expected to occur by mid-2027, Foley is expected to remain CEO, while Unilever will appoint four of the 12 members of the combined company’s board of directors.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Eisman hated it, but he did it, and in doing it he learned something that prepared him uniquely for the crisis that was about to occur.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

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