Events from the year 1940 in Romania.

• King: Carol II (until September 6), then Michael
• Prime Minister:
  • Gheorghe Tătărescu (until 4 July).
  • Ion Gigurtu (4 July – 5 September).
  • Ion Antonescu (starting 5 September).

• June 28–July 4 – Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina
• July 1 – Dorohoi pogrom
• September 7 – Treaty of Craiova
• September 8 – Nușfalău massacre
• September 9 – Treznea massacre
• September 13/14 – Ip massacre
• November 10 – 1940 Vrancea earthquake
• November 26 – Jilava Massacre

• January 6 – Doina Badea, singer of popular music (died 1977)
• January 7 – Florentina Mosora, biophysicist and film actress (died 1996)
• January 23 – Ileana Mălăncioiu, poet, essayist, and journalist
• February 9 – Simion Surdan, footballer (died 2006)
• February 24 – Nicolae Martinescu, Olympic wrestler (died 2013)
• February 26 – Alexandru Repan, actor
• March 12 – Virgil Nemoianu, essayist and literary critic
• May 3 – Marin Ferecatu, Olympic shooter
• May 17 – Valeriu Pantazi, poet, writer, and painter (died 2015)
• April 17 – Ștefan Gușă, general and Chief of the General Staff, 1986–1989 (died 1994)
• June 18 – Nadia Ileana Bogorin, First Lady of Romania, 1996–2000
• August 1 – Simion Popescu, Greco-Roman wrestler
• September 19 – Nicolae Bărbășescu, biathlete
• October 25 – Olimpia Cataramă, Olympic athlete
• November 1 – Alexandru Cecal, chemist (died 2021)
• November 19 – Cornel Oțelea, handball player
• December 24 – Constantin Oțet, football coach (died 1999)

• February 27: Nicolae Tonitza, painter (born 1886).
• July 21: Traian Bratu, academic and politician (born 1875).
• September 8: Constantin Banu, writer, journalist, and politician (born 1873).
• November 20: Ioan Moța, priest and journalist 1868).
• November 26 (killed in the Jilava Massacre):
  • Gheorghe Argeșanu, major general and politician (born 1883).
  • Ioan Bengliu, Inspector-General of the Romanian Gendarmerie (born 1881).
  • Victor Iamandi, politician (born 1891).
  • Gabriel Marinescu, brigadier general and politician (born 1886).
  • Mihail Moruzov, founder of the Romanian Secret Intelligence Service (born 1887).
  • Aristide Macoveanu, major
  • Iosif Dinulescu, major
• November 27:
  • Nicolae Iorga, historian and politician, Prime Minister in 1931–1932 (born 1871).^[1]
  • Virgil Madgearu, economist, sociologist, and politician (born 1887).