hitting (upon)

verb

present participle of hit (upon)
as in finding
to come upon unexpectedly or by chance the popular belief that Sir Isaac Newton hit upon his understanding of gravity at the sight of an apple falling from a tree

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hitting (upon)
  1. finding
  2. encountering
Verb
  • Last month, the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 that the 4th Circuit had prematurely halted the rule, finding that the FCC must issue a decision on the Democratic candidates’ petition for review before the appeals court can get involved.
    — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The power of finding joy and hope through adversity is also a big lesson.
    — Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of finding
Verb
  • Some brands had already weathered payment problems leading up to Neiman Marcus’s 2020 bankruptcy before encountering Saks Global’s more recent troubles.
    — Rachel Felder, Robb Report, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Sometimes, encountering darkness in fiction or in a history or in another’s life becomes an unexpected opportunity for release, for catharsis, for focusing one’s energy elsewhere.
    — Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of encountering
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

hitting (up)
hitting (upon)
hit (up)
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Cite this Entry

“Hitting (upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hitting%20%28upon%29. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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