Use mishap for an unwanted event that interrupts a plan or causes trouble, especially when the tone is lighter than disaster or catastrophe.
Use mishap for an unwanted event that interrupts a plan or causes trouble, especially when the tone is lighter than disaster or catastrophe.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| Several mishap delayed the launch. | Several mishaps delayed the launch. |
| The technician mishapped the machine. | The technician had a mishap with the machine. |
| The earthquake was only a mishap. | The earthquake was a disaster. |
| The team completed the repair without any mishaps happened. | The team completed the repair without any mishaps. |
Use mishap this way only when the context clearly treats it as ill fortune, because modern English usually expects the accident or unlucky event sense.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| I had much mishap before the interview. | I had a lot of bad luck before the interview. |
| Mishap follows that unlucky family. | Misfortune follows that unlucky family. |
| The rain was mishap for the picnic. | The rain was bad luck for the picnic. |
| She blamed mishap on the schedule error. | She blamed the schedule error on bad luck. |
Use mishap for an unlucky event or problem, and keep the rare bad-luck sense for older or deliberately formal contexts.
Several mishap misses the regular plural, and major disasters usually need stronger words such as disaster or catastrophe.
From Middle English mishap, built from mis- meaning bad or wrong and hap meaning chance or luck, probably influenced by Old French mescheance.
What does mishap mean?
Mishap means an unlucky accident, mistake, or unexpected problem.
Is mishap a verb?
No. Mishap is a noun, so say that someone had a mishap rather than that someone mishapped.
Can mishap mean bad luck?
Yes, but that sense is now rare. Modern English usually uses mishap for the unlucky event itself.
Is a mishap always minor?
It is often minor or not disastrous, but context can make a mishap more serious.
What is the plural of mishap?
The plural is mishaps.
What is the origin of mishap?
It comes from Middle English, built from mis- meaning bad or wrong and hap meaning chance or luck.
What are synonyms of mishap?
Common synonyms include accident, incident, blunder, misadventure, setback, and glitch.
What is the opposite of mishap?
Useful opposites include success, good luck, and good fortune, depending on the sentence.