Encounter
Encounter verb - To come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face.
Usage example: quite unexpectedly encountered our next-door neighbor while vacationing in Europe
Happen upon is a synonym for encounter. In some cases you can use "Happen upon" instead a verb "Encounter".
Nearby Words: encountered, encountering
Happen upon
Happen upon verb - To come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face.
Usage example: happened upon the hotel manager in the lobby and promptly complained about the room
Encounter is a synonym for happen upon in find topic. You can use "Encounter" instead a verb "Happen upon", if it concerns topics such as lay hands on.
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
Both terms in one sentence
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Encounter Bait: The "Whistle" ability makes battles happen upon use in the field.
Source: Video Game / Dragon Quest
Cite this Source
Happen upon and Encounter. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 28, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/encounter/happen_upon
Encounter & Happen upon. N.p., 2016. Web. 28 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/encounter/happen_upon>.
Happen upon or Encounter. 2016. Accessed July 28, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/encounter/happen_upon.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "encounter" and "happen upon" have occurred on timeline