supervene

verb

su·​per·​vene ˌsü-pər-ˈvēn How to pronounce supervene (audio)
supervened; supervening

intransitive verb

: to follow or result as an additional, adventitious, or unforeseen development
supervention noun
Choose the Right Synonym for supervene

follow, succeed, ensue, supervene mean to come after something or someone.

follow may apply to a coming after in time, position, or logical sequence.

speeches followed the dinner

succeed implies a coming after immediately in a sequence determined by natural order, inheritance, election, or laws of rank.

she succeeded her father as head of the business

ensue commonly suggests a logical consequence or naturally expected development.

after the talk a general discussion ensued

supervene suggests the following or beginning of something unforeseen or unpredictable.

unable to continue because of supervening circumstances

Examples of supervene in a Sentence

They had a quiet, happy life until the war supervened. it was not the slow-spreading cancer that caused his death but a supervening heart attack

Word History

Etymology

Latin supervenire, from super- + venire to come — more at come

First Known Use

1636, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of supervene was in 1636

Dictionary Entries Near supervene

Cite this Entry

“Supervene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supervene. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

supervene

verb
su·​per·​vene ˌsü-pər-ˈvēn How to pronounce supervene (audio)
supervened; supervening
: to take place as an additional or unlooked-for development
supervention noun

Medical Definition

supervene

intransitive verb
su·​per·​vene ˌsü-pər-ˈvēn How to pronounce supervene (audio)
supervened; supervening
: to follow or result as an additional, adventitious, or unlooked-for development (as in the course of a disease)
the majority of patients die once this complication supervenesScientific American Medicine

Legal Definition

supervene

intransitive verb
su·​per·​vene ˌsü-pər-ˈvēn How to pronounce supervene (audio)
supervened; supervening
: to take place after or later in the course of something else as an additional and usually unforeseeable development with intervening or countering effect
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