Synonym Chooser

How does the noun mishap differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mishap are adversity, mischance, and misfortune. While all these words mean "adverse fortune or an instance of this," mishap applies to an often trivial instance of bad luck.

the usual mishaps of a family vacation

When is it sensible to use adversity instead of mishap?

The words adversity and mishap are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, adversity applies to a state of grave or persistent misfortune.

had never experienced great adversity

When can mischance be used instead of mishap?

The meanings of mischance and mishap largely overlap; however, mischance applies especially to a situation involving no more than slight inconvenience or minor annoyance.

took the wrong road by mischance

In what contexts can misfortune take the place of mishap?

The synonyms misfortune and mishap are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

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 mishap McIlroy shoots a 2-under 69 to close the four days at Congressional in Bethesda, Md., at 16-under 268. 2016 — Dustin Johnson atones for his past mishaps in the majors winning the U.S. Open by three shots. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025 Coronilla explained that just keeping track of all of the moving puppet parts was a challenge in itself, especially with mishaps. Kambole Campbell, Variety, 14 June 2025 Many people find that a light dose of THC or CBD helps ease the typical stress of flight delays or travel mishaps. Matt Rozo, Mercury News, 18 June 2025 These defenses are designed to prevent the types of BGP attacks and mishaps that have hijacked IP addresses belonging to banks and other critical infrastructure. ArsTechnica, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for mishap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mishap
Noun
  • The Climate Superfund Act is modeled after the federal Superfund law that requires companies to pay for the cleanup of contamination caused by their activities, such as hazardous waste disposal or accidents and spills.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2025
  • America did not become a global scientific leader by accident.
    Dr. Mark Anderson, Chicago Tribune, 7 July 2025
Noun
  • The structure is not dissimilar from a classic episode of another FX comedy-drama hybrid, Atlanta, where Paper Boi’s attempt to get a haircut from his favorite barber led him on an odyssey of crime and misfortune.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 27 June 2025
  • Compounding those misfortunes, Elio emerged into the jet wash of How to Train Your Dragon, another family film and the fourth installment of a blockbuster franchise with more than two decades of audience goodwill that is certain to rank among the year’s most lucrative movies.
    Chris Lee, Vulture, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • While most Americans celebrated Independence Day, a tragedy unfolded in Central Texas.
    The Editors, National Review, 7 July 2025
  • For past campers, the tragedy turned happy memories into grief.
    CBS News, CBS News, 7 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mishap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mishap. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on mishap

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!