mishap

noun

mis·​hap ˈmis-ˌhap How to pronounce mishap (audio)
mis-ˈhap
Synonyms of mishap
1
: an unfortunate accident
The fire was a tragic mishap that could have been prevented.
2
: bad luck : misfortune
The ceremony proceeded without mishap.

Synonyms of mishap

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misfortune, mischance, adversity, mishap mean adverse fortune or an instance of this.

misfortune may apply to either the incident or conjunction of events that is the cause of an unhappy change of fortune or to the ensuing state of distress.

never lost hope even in the depths of misfortune

mischance applies especially to a situation involving no more than slight inconvenience or minor annoyance.

took the wrong road by mischance

adversity applies to a state of grave or persistent misfortune.

had never experienced great adversity

mishap applies to an often trivial instance of bad luck.

the usual mishaps of a family vacation

Examples of mishap in a Sentence

We experienced the usual mishaps of a family vacation. The ceremony proceeded without mishap. The fire was a tragic mishap that could have been prevented.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Beyond the inconceivable mishap, the Huskers looked reactive and a step slow on defense for the entire first quarter. — Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026 Raman is now easily scoring off of Bass mishaps, like the mayor’s response to the Lineage warehouse fire and her random broadside against street vendors during a debate in Sherman Oaks last month. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026 If not for a passport mishap, Zhang and Han would be joined by another center — 6-7 Li Yueru, who plays with the WNBA's Dallas Wings. — ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026 The company says that, in 2025, the cameras helped police in more than 1 million criminal investigations and public safety mishaps, and even helped locate nearly 10,000 missing people. — Victoria Hoffmann, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mishap

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mishap was in the 14th century

Rhymes for mishap

See All Rhymes for mishap

Browse Nearby Words

mishanter
mishap
Mishawaka
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Cite this Entry

“Mishap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mishap. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

mishap

noun
mis·​hap ˈmis-ˌhap How to pronounce mishap (audio)
mis-ˈhap
1
archaic : bad luck
2
: an unfortunate accident
Etymology

Middle English mishap "bad luck," from mis- "bad, unfavorable" and hap "chance, chance occurrence" — related to happen, happy, perhaps

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