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occur to
/əˈkɜːr tuː/◆phrasal verb
come to mind
It never occurred to me that she might be lying.
I never thought about the possibility that she could be dishonest.
neutral
to come into someone's mind as a thought or idea
Did it ever occur to you that we might be lost?
Did you ever think about the possibility that we might be lost?
It occurred to me that we should check the map again.
I realized that we should look at the map again.
Used to introduce a thought or idea that someone has just had. Often used in questions or negative statements.
Collocations
occur to someoneto be thought of by someoneit never occurred to meI never thought about it
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Mistake
Avoid using 'occur to' with a direct object. Incorrect: 'It occurred the problem to me.' Correct: 'It occurred to me that there was a problem.'
Gold Rule
Subject-Verb Agreement
The subject of 'occur to' is always an idea or thought, not a person. The person is the indirect object (e.g., 'it occurred to me').
Word Origin
From Latin 'occurrere' (to run towards), via Old French 'occurrer' and Middle English 'occuren'. The phrasal verb 'occur to' emerged in the 17th century, evolving from the literal sense of 'to present itself' to the figurative sense of 'to come to mind'.
Usage Notes
This phrasal verb is always used with an indirect object (e.g., 'it occurred to me', 'did it occur to you?'). It is not used in the passive voice. The subject is typically an idea or thought, not a person.
Word Breakdown
occur
to happen or present itself
verbto
indicates direction or recipient of the action
prepositionEnglish Dictionary