Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. There are two useful corrolaries: 1. The change of something going wrong is directly proportional to the damage that will ensue; 2. Murphy was an optimist. Back to the top

humorous axiom stating that anything that can go wrong will go wrong

"If something can go wrong, it will go wrong."

Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. Murphy has an uncanny way of making surprise visits.

Anything that can happen will happen.

If anything can go wrong, it will.

Anything that cannot possibly go wrong, will go wrong. There are two useful corollaries: 1. The chance of something going wrong is directly proportional to the amount of damage that will ensue; 2. Murphy was an optimist.

Murphy's law is a popular adage in Western culture that most likely originated at Edwards Air Force Base in 1948. The Law broadly states that things will go wrong in any given situation, if you give them a chance. "If there's more than one way to do a job, and one of those ways will result in disaster, then somebody will do it that way."