chance upon

/tʃæns əˌpɑn/

Other forms: chanced upon; chancing upon; chances upon

If you just happen to run into an old friend, you can say you chance upon them. You weren't planning to see them; it was a complete coincidence.

When you discover something, you chance upon it: "I was surprised to chance upon a place that serves cheese fondue." And when you accidentally meet someone, you chance upon that person: "Did you chance upon any other Americans on the cruise?" This verb is a slightly old fashioned way to say "run into" or "come across."

Definitions of chance upon

1. verb

   find unexpectedly
   “the archeologists chanced upon an old tomb”

   synonyms: attain, chance on, come across, come upon, discover, fall upon, happen upon, light upon, strike

   type of:

   find, regain

   come upon after searching; find the location of something that was missed or lost