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

Witnesses reported a loud explosion and saw sparks and flames as the jet went overboard, while below deck, the crosshead ejected from the sheave damper, ‘spinning like the Tasmanian devil’ in what was described as an ‘entirely preventable’ mishap, according to USNI. —MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025

The cause of the mishap remains under investigation and no other details were available. —Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025

However, the rule does not address the debris already in space, nor any future debris, from accidents or mishaps. —Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti, The Conversation, 3 Dec. 2025

The mishaps were apparently due to the wrong files being delivered to HBO Max and producers are now scrambling to get the correct copies of the show to the streaming service. —David K. Li, NBC news, 3 Dec. 2025

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