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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hap
Noun
-
Greenwood is leading a series of high-profile events to celebrate America's 250th anniversary.
-
Fans from around the world attended the event, with many saying this World Cup has felt different.
Noun
-
The group of death in the 2002 World Cup qualifiers wasn’t enough, because in Egypt’s next attempt to reach the finals in 2006, their luck put them in a group with Didier Drogba’s Ivory Coast and Samuel Eto’o’s Cameroon.
-
In retrospect, the result looks less like luck than like a compounding advantage.
Noun
-
Made from fade-, pill-, and weather-resistant material, this quilt is built to last many seasons.
-
For bedding upgrades, snap up this lightweight summer quilt and these cooling sheets.
Verb
-
That was a normal action in football that happened by accident.
-
This is the business end, and this is the stage where, in my opinion, the big players step forward and the big players carry the pressure and make things happen.
Noun
-
This was most obvious during Swift's record-breaking Eras Tour, when brands capitalized on all things Taylor — friendship bracelets, themed drinks and even concert outfits.
-
Eliminating that gap is one of the hardest things an organization can do.
Noun
-
For the best chance of seeing them, move away from city lights, lie flat on your back and look toward the southern sky near the Aquarius constellation, NASA says.
-
Now’s your chance to grab a closet’s worth of sleek, sculpting essentials, like the SpanxShape Booty Boost leggings for $44 off, and the SpanxSmooth Jersey Crewneck T-Shirt for $30 off.
Noun
-
Beneath wall text describing Báthory’s ghoulish crimes and her macabre punishment, bloody mannequins in nightshirts, one with its throat hideously cut, sprawl across a counterpane.
Verb
-
There are nods to the environmental devastation wrought by the cattle industry that dominated Southern California in the first half of the 19th century, as well as the Faustian bargain struck by Indigenous people who converted to Catholicism.
-
That match was held before the game in Kansas City, and each time Cape Verde scored, there were cheers from the Colombia supporters at Arrowhead Stadium.
Cite this Entry
“Hap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hap. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
