befalls
Comes upon someone
Befalls means happens to, especially something unwelcome or unfortunate: Whatever befalls us, we'll face it together.
The word carries a sense of fate or circumstance descending upon someone rather than being sought out.
It's somewhat literary and appears most often in discussions of misfortune: tragedy befell the family, the fate that befalls those who ignore warnings.
Comes about, unfolds
- transpiresComes to pass
- ensuesHappens as a result
- arisesComes into existence
- comesMoves toward, arrives
overtakes · descends · strikes · visits · arrives · comes upon · takes place · occurs
Disastrous or sorrowful event
- calamitySevere misfortune or disaster
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- adversitySevere difficulty or suffering
- afflictionCause of ongoing distress
catastrophe · hardship · woe · plight · ruin · curse · plague · scourge
Predetermined course of events
- doomUnavoidable grim fate
- lotLarge amount or portion
- fortuneWealth or destiny
- karmaSpiritual cause and effect
providence · kismet · predestination · foreordained · inevitability · ordained · fated · destined
Occurring without prior notice
- unforeseenNot predicted or expected
- unpredictableCannot be anticipated
- abruptSharp and unexpected
- chanceLikelihood of occurrence
accidental · random · unanticipated · unlooked-for · surprising · without warning · out of nowhere · blindsides
happens
Comes about, unfolds
- transpiresComes to pass
- ensuesHappens as a result
- arisesComes into existence
comes · overtakes · descends · strikes · visits · arrives · comes upon · takes place · occurs · materializes
tragedy
Disastrous or sorrowful event
- calamitySevere misfortune or disaster
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- adversitySevere difficulty or suffering
affliction · catastrophe · hardship · woe · plight · ruin · curse · plague · scourge · blight
destiny
Predetermined course of events
karma · providence · kismet · predestination · foreordained · inevitability · ordained · fated · destined · allotted
sudden
Occurring without prior notice
- unforeseenNot predicted or expected
- unpredictableCannot be anticipated
- abruptSharp and unexpected
chance · accidental · random · unanticipated · unlooked-for · surprising · without warning · out of nowhere · blindsides
befallschooses
Selects from alternatives
decides · elects · wills · causes · brings about
befallsinflicts
Causes harm deliberately
brings upon · causes · imposes · perpetrates · enacts