befall

verb

be·​fall bi-ˈfȯl How to pronounce befall (audio)
bē-
befell bi-ˈfel How to pronounce befall (audio)
bē-
; befallen bi-ˈfȯ-lən How to pronounce befall (audio)
bē-

intransitive verb

: to happen especially as if by fate

transitive verb

: to happen to
the fate that befell them

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Not everyone agrees that the U.K. could benefit from trade misfortunes that befall the EU, whatever the outcome of last-ditch talks between Brussels and Washington. Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 21 July 2025 That quake on Thursday, strong enough to make standing difficult, was one of more than 1,000 tremors in the islands of Kagoshima prefecture in the past two weeks that have fueled rumors stemming from a comic book prediction that a major disaster would befall the country this month. CNN Money, 5 July 2025 The usual maladies that befall a loose heel are bad blisters as your heel rubs against the shoe. Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025 The Window For Action Is Closing The same fate that befell private cloud hosting companies — disintermediated by the public cloud — now threatens MDR and MSSP vendors. Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for befall

Word History

Etymology

Middle English befallen, going back to Old English befeallan (parallel to Old High German bifallan "to fall"), from be- be- + feallan "to fall entry 1"

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of befall was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Befall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/befall. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

befall

verb
be·​fall bi-ˈfȯl How to pronounce befall (audio)
befell -ˈfel How to pronounce befall (audio) ; befallen -ˈfȯ-lən How to pronounce befall (audio) ; befalling
1
: to take place : happen
2
: to happen to

More from Merriam-Webster on befall

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