1
as in event
something that happens
we must make the best of both the good and the bad haps of life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in luck
the uncertain course of events
by hap and circumstance, he ended up as a cartoonist in New York
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to happen
to take place
what wondrous events hath happed this Christmas Day?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of hap
Dr. C. E. Kuschel, Outdoor Life, 9 Apr. 2026
Looking for a slice of hap-Pi-ness?
—Allison Kiehl, Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 Mar. 2026
Check out his latest artwork, photos and adventures from the past, and current haps on his website Cory Richards Dot Com.
—Outside Online, 3 Dec. 2025
The stars of 1989's hap-hap-happiest holiday comedy have kept busy since that dysfunctional dinner.
—Madeline Boardman, EW.com, 16 Dec. 2024
The company didn’t appear close to understanding the nature of the universe, but per haps that’s coming.
—Zoë Schiffer, WIRED, 14 Feb. 2024
With an optical band hap of about 1.74 eV, the perovskite cell demonstrated a power conversion efficiency of 17 percent on its own.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 Jan. 2016
Noun
One false move can lead to trouble, and it hap-pens sooner or later to just about everybody who handles these reptiles.
—Dr. C. E. Kuschel, Outdoor Life, 9 Apr. 2026
Looking for a slice of hap-Pi-ness?
—Allison Kiehl, Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 Mar. 2026
Check out his latest artwork, photos and adventures from the past, and current haps on his website Cory Richards Dot Com.
—Outside Online, 3 Dec. 2025
The stars of 1989's hap-hap-happiest holiday comedy have kept busy since that dysfunctional dinner.
—Madeline Boardman, EW.com, 16 Dec. 2024
The company didn’t appear close to understanding the nature of the universe, but per haps that’s coming.
—Zoë Schiffer, WIRED, 14 Feb. 2024
With an optical band hap of about 1.74 eV, the perovskite cell demonstrated a power conversion efficiency of 17 percent on its own.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 Jan. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hap
Verb
-
What happens next Authorities emphasize that the charges are allegations, and Mance is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Spiegel asked to speak to Mengele and alert him of what was happening — a risky decision that saved the boys from death.—
Alexandra Schonfeld,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There is a continued shortage of memory chips which has driven prices of that component to unprecedented highs.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Data obtained from the license plates cannot be held for more than 21 days unless there is an active criminal investigation, officials said.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hap. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
