might not happen

USAGE SUMMARY

"might not happen" is a perfectly correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
You can use it whenever you want to express a possibility that something won't occur. For example: "Due to the current economic climate, the company's expansion plans might not happen."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

It might not happen.

The New York Times - Sports

Romsey suggests that this might not happen.

The Economist

That might or might not happen".

The New York Times - Arts

But it might not happen.

The New York Times - Sports

But that might not happen.

The New York Times

Or that might not happen.

The Guardian - Business

Walker-Wielechowski still might not happen.

The Guardian - Opinion

It might not happen in 2015.

The Guardian - Sport

"It might not happen tomorrow," he added.

The New York Times

The financial crisis showed that this might not happen, though.

The New York Times

It might not happen that way, of course.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "might not happen" to express uncertainty about a future event, acknowledging that there's a possibility it will not occur. It is suitable for expressing speculation or contingency.

Common error

While "might not happen" is widely understood, consider using more formal alternatives like "may not occur" or "is unlikely to happen" in professional or academic writing to maintain a more serious tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "might not happen" functions as a modal construction expressing possibility or uncertainty about a future event. It combines the modal verb "might" with a negation and the verb "happen" to indicate that something is not certain to occur. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

73%

Science

15%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "might not happen" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to express the possibility that an event will not occur. As Ludwig AI confirms, its versatility allows it to fit into various contexts, although it is most prevalent in news and media. While perfectly acceptable, writers should consider more formal alternatives like "may not occur" or "is unlikely to happen" in academic or business settings. Remember to use this phrase to convey speculation or uncertainty, and be aware of the subtle differences between it and similar expressions like "could not come to pass" or "is not expected to happen".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

may not occur

Replaces "might" with "may", expressing a similar degree of possibility but with a slightly more formal tone.

it is possible it won't happen

More verbose and explicit, emphasizing the possibility of non-occurrence.

could not come to pass

Uses "could" to suggest possibility and "come to pass" to mean happen, presenting a slightly more formal and emphatic alternative.

it's conceivable it won't happen

Emphasizes the conceivability, though not necessarily the likelihood, of non-occurrence.

is unlikely to occur

Shifts from possibility to probability, suggesting a low chance of happening.

it is uncertain whether it will happen

Directly states the uncertainty of an event's occurrence.

is not expected to happen

Focuses on expectations, indicating that an event is not anticipated.

it's questionable whether it will occur

Raises doubts about the likelihood of an event.

chances are it won't happen

Uses a more colloquial expression to convey a low probability.

it remains to be seen

Indicates uncertainty about whether something will occur.

FAQs

What does "might not happen" mean?

The phrase "might not happen" indicates a possibility or uncertainty about a future event. It suggests that the event in question may not occur.

What can I say instead of "might not happen"?

You can use alternatives like "may not occur", "is unlikely to occur", or "is not expected to happen", depending on the context.

Is "might not happen" grammatically correct?

Yes, "might not happen" is grammatically correct. It follows standard English grammar rules for modal verbs and negation.

How to use "might not happen" in a sentence?

You can use "might not happen" in a sentence to express uncertainty or possibility. For example: "The project looks promising, but success "might not happen" as expected".