A "maturity mismatch" is a term used in finance when a company's long-term liabilities exceed its short-term assets or vice versa. Some synonyms for the term include "asset liability mismatch", "duration mismatch", "term mismatch" and "funding gap". These phrases all refer to a discrepancy in the timing of revenues and expenses, or the debt repayment schedule, that can cause financial instability. A maturity mismatch can occur when a company borrows short-term funds to finance long-term projects, which can be risky if these short-term loans cannot be easily refinanced or they mature before the company's revenues materialize. It is important for companies to manage their financial obligations and balance their cash flows to avoid maturity mismatches.