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Supervening: meaning, definitions and examples

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supervening

 

[ ˌsuːpərˈviːnɪŋ ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

legal context

Supervening refers to an event or condition that occurs after a particular situation or contract has been established and can potentially alter or affect the parties involved. This term is often used in legal discussions to highlight unexpected developments that complicate existing agreements. In some cases, a supervening event may excuse one party from fulfilling their obligations if it is deemed to be unforeseen and unavoidable.

Synonyms

following, later, subsequent

Examples of usage

  • The contract was terminated due to a supervening impossibility.
  • The court ruled that the supervening events justified the amendments.
  • Supervening circumstances altered the original agreement.

Translations

Translations of the word "supervening" in other languages:

🇵🇹 sobreveniente

🇮🇳 अचानक होने वाला

🇩🇪 übergreifend

🇮🇩 menyusul

🇺🇦 наступний

🇵🇱 następujący

🇯🇵 後に起こる

🇫🇷 survenant

🇪🇸 sobreveniente

🇹🇷 sonradan olan

🇰🇷 후속적인

🇸🇦 لاحق

🇨🇿 následující

🇸🇰 nasledujúci

🇨🇳 随之而来的

🇸🇮 nadaljnji

🇮🇸 eftirfylgjandi

🇰🇿 кейінгі

🇬🇪 შემდეგი

🇦🇿 ardıcıl

🇲🇽 sobreveniente

Etymology

The word 'supervening' derives from the Latin word 'supervenire', which means 'to come upon' or 'to arrive afterwards'. This etymology highlights the idea of something that appears after the fact. The term has been in use since the early 17th century, primarily in legal contexts to address scenarios where new conditions emerge post the formation of an agreement. Over time, its usage has expanded beyond legal jargon to include more general discussions about unexpected developments in various fields, including philosophy and general discourse. In many legal systems, supervening events (such as natural disasters or sudden legal changes) are acknowledged as significant factors that could relieve parties of their contractual duties, marking the term's essential role in discussions surrounding liability and accountability.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #31,765 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.