be
fall
Third Person
befalls
Present Participle
befalling
Past Tense
befell
Past Participle
befallen
1
to happen to a person or thing in a way that seems destined and has serious consequences
transitive
- The fate that befell them was beyond their control.
- The consequences of the decision befell the entire organization.
- The calamity that befell the town was due to years of neglect.
- What befell the protagonist in the novel was a series of challenges.
- The misfortune that befell the explorers was caused by the storm.
2
to occur, typically in a way that seems inevitable or destined
- A series of unfortunate events befell without warning.
- When disaster befell, it seemed like it was destined to happen.
- Unusual phenomena can sometimes befall, leaving people perplexed.
- Great challenges sometimes befall, influencing the course of history.
- The mysterious occurrences seemed to befall from nowhere.