Word
occurring
Phoneticsoc·cur·ring, stress on the second syllable
US/əˈkɝɪŋ/
UK/əkˈɜːɹɪŋ/
Definitions
01happening
B1 · Intermediate
v. happening or taking place, especially at a specific time.
v. the act of taking place or happening; often used to describe events or incidents.
“The police are investigating several crimes occurring in the city centre this week.”
“The report highlights several technical failures occurring simultaneously during the launch sequence, which ultimately led to the mission's cancellation.”
Usage
Often used in the continuous form to describe ongoing trends or repeated incidents.
Pitfall
The accident was occurring at 5 PM.
The accident occurred at 5 PM.
For sudden, completed events, use the simple past 'occurred' rather than the continuous 'occurring'.
Synonyms
02existing or found
B2 · Upper Intermediate Science Academic
v. existing or being found in a particular place or group.
v. existing or being present within a specific environment, substance, or population.
“These rare plants are only found occurring naturally in this specific forest.”
“The researchers identified high levels of the mineral occurring in the groundwater samples collected near the industrial site.”
Usage
Commonly used with the adverb 'naturally'.
Antonyms
03an event
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. an instance of something happening; an event.
n. a specific instance or occurrence of an event or phenomenon.
“The sudden occurring of the storm caught the hikers by surprise.”
“The frequent occurring of these errors suggests a fundamental flaw in the software's architecture.”
Usage
As a gerund-noun, it is less common than 'occurrence'.
Synonyms
04happening in a certain way
C1 · Advanced Academic · Technical
adj. used with another word to describe how often or where something happens.
adj. functioning as a participial adjective, typically in compound forms, to describe the manner or frequency of an event.
“The naturally occurring gases in the cave can be dangerous to breathe.”
“The study focused on co-occurring disorders among patients in the psychiatric ward.”
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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