event

UK: /ɪˈvɛnt/ US: /ɪˈvɛnt/ ,(i vent′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

e•vent /ɪˈvɛnt/   n. [countable]

1. something that happens:
   Winning the scholarship was an important event in her life.
2. something that occurs in a certain place during a particular time:
   They went to all the planned events at their daughter's college.
3. Sport a single sports contest within a scheduled program: the figure-skating event.

Idioms

4. Idioms in any event, regardless of what happens;
   in any case:
   In any event, I'll call you tomorrow.
5. Idioms in the event of, if there should be:
   In the event of fire, stay calm while leaving the building.
6. Idioms in the event that, if it should happen that;
   in case:
   In the event that I can't get the loans, I'll have to find some way to raise the money.

See -ven-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

e•vent  (i vent′), n. 

1. something that happens or is regarded as happening;
   an occurrence, esp. one of some importance.
2. the outcome, issue, or result of anything:
   The venture had no successful event.
3. something that occurs in a certain place during a particular interval of time.
4. Physics in relativity, an occurrence that is sharply localized at a single point in space and instant of time. Cf. world point.
5. Sport any of the contests in a program made up of one sport or of a number of sports:
   The broad jump event followed the pole vault.
6. Idioms in any event, regardless of what happens;
   in any case. Also, at all events. 
7. Idioms in the event of, if there should be:
   In the event of rain, the party will be held indoors.
8. Idioms in the event that, if it should happen that;
   in case:
   In the event that I can't come back by seven, you can eat without me.

• Latin ēventus occurrence, outcome, equivalent. to ēven(īre) to occur, come out + -tus suffix of verb, verbal action
• 1560–70

e•vent′less, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. happening, affair, case, circumstance.
  Event, episode, incident, occurrence are terms for a happening. An event is usually an important happening:
  historical events.
  An episode is one of a series of happenings in a person's life or in a narrative:
  an episode in one's life.
  An incident is an event of usually minor importance:
  an amusing incident in a play.
  An occurrence is something that happens, often by surprise:
  His arrival was an unexpected occurrence.
• 2. consequence.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

event / ɪˈvɛnt/ noun

1. anything that takes place or happens, esp something important; happening; incident
2. the actual or final outcome; result (esp in the phrases in the event, after the event)
3. any one contest in a programme of sporting or other contests: the high jump is his event
4. an occurrence regarded as a bare instant of space-time as contrasted with an object which fills space and has endurance
5. an occurrence regarded in isolation from, or contrasted with, human agency
6. in any event, at all events ⇒ regardless of circumstances; in any case
7. in the event of ⇒ in case of; if (such a thing) happens: in the event of rain the race will be cancelled
8. in the event that ⇒ if it should happen that

verb

1. to take part or ride (a horse) in eventing

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin ēventus a happening, from ēvenīre to come forth, happen, from venīre to come