Mur·phy's Law

(mûr′fēz)

Any of certain humorous axioms stating that anything that can possibly go wrong, will go wrong.

[After Edward A. Murphy (1918-1990), American engineer.]

Word History: Edward Murphy was an American engineer who designed sensors for measuring the forces involved in crashes. Used in rocket sled experiments in 1941, his sensors failed to function after another person installed them incorrectly. This experience is said to have prompted Murphy to utter the axiom that has since become associated with his name. Murphy may have spoken the axiom, but he did not invent it, because variations of it are attested from the early 1900s.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Murphy's law

informal another term for Sod's law

[C20: of uncertain origin]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

Mur′phy's Law′

the facetious proposition that if something can go wrong, it will.

[1955–60, Amer.; probably after E.A. Murphy, engineer in U.S. Air Force]

Murphy's Law

An imaginary rule that states “if something can go wrong, it will;” perhaps from an Irish engineer who first formulated it.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

Murphy's Law - humorous axiom stating that anything that can go wrong will go wrong

Sod's Law

gnome - a short pithy saying expressing a general truth

Translations

Murphy’s Law

n (hum inf) → Murphys Gesetz nt, „Gesetz“, demzufolge eine Sache, die schiefgehen kann, auch bestimmt schiefgehen wird

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

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References in periodicals archive

The President blamed the Murphy's Law in what he described as a who described the misencounter as 'a very unfortunate event.'

Duterte on Samar misencounter: The ultimate blame, fault is on me

Nanghinayang ako but I said it is the product of Murphy's Law. The Murphy's Law says if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong," Duterte said before an assembly of barangay captains in Zamboanga del Sur.

Duterte saddened by misencounter, attributes incident to Murphy's Law

Murphy's Law - affectionately known as Spud - was a 21-year-old with 14 years' service with Merseyside Police who was due to retire this November.

'He must have been trying wings for size' MUCH-LOVED POLICE HORSE 'SPUD' DIES DAYS AFTER BECOMING INTERNET STAR

Murphy's Law: The Regulator Book Two blends elements from both the western and forensic mystery genres.

Murphy's Law

Murphy's Law says you're going to strip the threads on the last fastener of your latest repair project.

Rethreader in a can

The prince added: "It's Murphy's Law. Everybody always says, 'the day before people saw God knows what'."

Elephant trip ruined, says Charles

The railway had apologised on its website during the steam locomotive shortage - described by visitor services manager David Mee as "a combination of mechanical setbacks all coming together at the same time - the Murphy's Law principle that 'if something can go wrong, it will'."

Getting steamy

But then that's proof of the truth of Murphy's Law - if something's going to stop you doing something or go wrong at just the wrong time, it will.

I DON'T know who he [...]

Compton joined Murphy's Law Department in 1988 and was promoted to attorney four years later, followed by a promotion to manager, Law and corporate secretary in 1996.

Murphy Oil makes management changes with retirement of Steven A Cosse

Murphy's Law has attacked our new Complete Guide title--Tactical Radios--which accompanied Armada International issue 4/2009.

Corrigendum