mishap

IPA/ˈmɪshæp/
KK[mˈɪshˌæp]IPA/ˈmɪshæp/

mishap — noun

  • mishapsingular
  • mishapsplural

1. an unlucky incident or minor accident that causes trouble but is not usually ser

1.nounC1
Definition

an unlucky incident or minor accident that causes trouble but is not usually serious

Example

A kitchen mishap covered Apinya's floor with hot tomato soup.

compound noun: kitchen mishap

Liam's travel mishap began when he boarded the wrong night bus.

Common collocations
  • minor mishap
  • travel mishap
  • kitchen mishap
  • baking mishap
  • without mishap
Synonyms
  • accident

    more general and can describe something much more serious than a mishap

  • glitch

    usually used for small technical or system problems rather than physical accidents

  • setback

    emphasises delay or lost progress rather than the unlucky event itself

  • misfortune

    broader and more formal; it can describe a longer period of bad luck

Grammar Patterns

a mishap

mishap + with + noun

without mishap

Usage Note

Often used for something inconvenient rather than dangerous. It commonly appears in phrases such as 'travel mishap' or 'without mishap' when a trip or event goes smoothly.

Common Mistakes

We had mishap on the hike.
We had a mishap on the hike.
Mishap is a countable noun in this meaning and usually needs an article.
My brother mishapped his bike on the hill.
My brother had a mishap on the hill with his bike.
Mishap is a noun, not a verb.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Mishap usually suggests a small, unlucky problem rather than a disaster. An accident can be minor or very serious, so it is the broadest word of the group. A glitch is even smaller, but it is most often used for machines, software, or brief problems in a system. A setback focuses on lost progress: the event matters because it delays a plan. Misfortune is broader and more formal, and it can describe a whole period of bad luck, not just one event. If a cake collapses, a bus ticket is lost, or a trip hits a small problem, mishap is often the most natural choice.

accident ↗glitch ↗setback ↗misfortune ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • without mishap

Adjectives

Prepositions

Etymology

Old NorseMiddle EnglishEnglish

Built in Middle English from the prefix mis- ('bad' or 'wrong') and hap, an older word meaning 'chance' or 'luck'. The hap part is related to the idea behind happen and originally pointed to what chance brings.