happenstance

noun

hap·​pen·​stance ˈha-pən-ˌstan(t)s How to pronounce happenstance (audio)
ˈha-pᵊm-
: a circumstance especially that is due to chance
They came together by mere happenstance.
happenstance adjective

Examples of happenstance in a Sentence

Our meeting was pure happenstance. We met each other by happenstance. It was an agreeable happenstance that we met.
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.
And one benefit of a plot built on relentlessly surreal happenstance is that eventually every new plot development starts to feel like a twist — because nothing is predetermined, and rationality and rigor have already gone out the window. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025 Dorit plays the entire scene perfectly, whether by strategy or happenstance. Brian Moylan, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2025 Yet in my experience, growth doesn’t come by luck or happenstance. Dr. Eric George, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025 Games often float down the river of time to us, filtered by friends, algorithms, or pure happenstance. Ars Technica, 27 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for happenstance

Word History

Etymology

happen + circumstance

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of happenstance was in 1857

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Happenstance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/happenstance. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on happenstance

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!