to unhappen
9.9
To cancel or undo an event so it no longer takes place
- verb
- /ʌnˈhæpən/
- Neologism
:
deshacer
- The decision to unhappen the concert was met with disappointment from the fans.
Examples
-
Now anything that can happen in quantum mechanics can unhappen, meaning to say that quantum mechanics is a reversible theory.
-
If you are extraordinarily lucky, you may unhappen one or two of such things, and I was hoping to be extraordinarily lucky.
Fiction book (2001) -
"But if that gets reversed, then the Ice Age unhappens—death unhappens—and these creatures come back to life.
Blog text (29) -
If we could unhappen mistakes, life would be much easier.
-
She wished she could unhappen the argument they had last night.
Synonyms
to undo
vsto unhappen
102
2.6
Cancel the effect of an action or decision
treats the event as if it does not take place by erasing its occurrence
Antonyms
How Prevented
to unhappen
- Neologism
to undo
102
2.6
102
2.6
to abort
93
5.6
93
5.6
to cancel
814
1.0
814
1.0
to prevent
∞
2.3
∞
2.3
to deter
94
5.6
94
5.6
Surface Forms
unhappen infinitive
unhappened past
unhappened past participle
unhappening present participle
unhappens third person singular
Morphology
Etymology
Unhappen is made from the negative un- ('not') and happen ('to take place'). A helpful image is an 'undo' button: to unhappen something is to cancel or reverse it so it is as if it never took place.