befalling
12 synonyms for befalling, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Something that happens; an event.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Etymology
Comes from Middle English bifallinge, equivalent to befall + -ing, and is cognate with Dutch bevalling (“delivery, labour”) and Swedish befallning (“command, behest, charge”).
Full origin of befalling →