befall vs happen

befall and happen both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
befall	No	No	Yes	No
happen	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, befall and happen are synonyms defined as:

befall and happen: happen, occur, or be the case in the course of events or by chance

Other synonyms of befall include bechance.

As verbs, happen is a hypernym of befall; that is, happen is a word with a broader meaning than befall:

Other hypernyms of befall include come about, fall out, go on, hap, occur, pass, pass off, take place.

As verbs, happen is a hypernym of befall; that is, happen is a word with a broader meaning than befall:

Other hypernyms of befall include come about, fall out, go on, hap, occur, pass, pass off, take place.

befall (verb)	happen (verb)
happen, occur, or be the case in the course of events or by chance	come to pass
become of; happen to	come into being; become reality
	happen, occur, or be the case in the course of events or by chance
	come upon, as if by accident; meet with
	chance to be or do something, without intention or causation