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When events unfold: comparing "happened" and "occurred"
Anwar Kareem 01/12/2024, 05:34English.me team member
What is similar?
Both "happened" and "occurred" are past tense verbs that describe events or incidents that took place.
What is different?
"Happened" is more commonly used in everyday language and can denote events that are casual or without specific cause. "Occurred" is often used in more formal contexts and can imply a more deliberate or notable event.
Which one is more common?
Examples of usage
Happened- I can't believe what just happened.
- The accident happened suddenly.
- What happened at the meeting yesterday?
- The eclipse occurred around midnight.
- A significant error occurred during the experiment.
- It occurred to me that we might have missed something.
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