mishap

noun

mis·​hap ˈmis-ˌhap 

mis-ˈhap

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

• accident

Choose the Right Synonym for mishap

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

Fragrance-free and gentle enough for sensitive skin, Green Stix turn a shaving mishap into a non-event. — ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026

One streaming mishap under his leadership was the first livestream of the Oscars on Hulu in 2025 crashing, an issue that was corrected for the 2026 telecast. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 17 Sep. 2026

The Air Force Safety Center has recorded at least 14 Class A F-16 mishaps since 2000. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026

The pilot, who is with the 149th Fighter Wing based at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, was flying a routine training mission in an F-16, when the unspecified mishap occurred seven miles south of Grand Traverse, Michigan, Sgt. — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mishap

• bandgap
• bitmap
• blackcap
• blackstrap
• bootstrap
• burlap
• claptrap
• entrap
• foolscap
• kidnap
• kneecap
• madcap

Kids Definition

mishap

noun

mis·​hap ˈmis-ˌhap 

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