A mishap is an unlucky accident or minor disaster, usually one that causes inconvenience or embarrassment but not serious harm. When you spill juice all over your homework right before school, that's a mishap. When a cook accidentally drops a cake they spent hours decorating, it's a frustrating mishap.

The word suggests something went wrong by accident, not on purpose. A science experiment might suffer a mishap when an unexpected chemical reaction bubbles over, even though you followed all the instructions carefully. A school play might experience a mishap when a prop breaks at an awkward moment during the performance.

Mishaps are the bumps and fumbles of everyday life: missed buses, torn pants, forgotten lunches, or tangled hair right before picture day. They're annoying and sometimes embarrassing, but they're temporary setbacks rather than catastrophes. The word carries a sense that while things didn't go as planned, you'll recover and move forward. A day full of small mishaps can test your patience, but these little accidents rarely cause lasting damage.