backslide
verb (used without object)
to relapse into bad habits, sinful behavior, or undesirable activities.
backsliding
-
present participleof backslide.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At a time of societal fracture and backsliding, “Liberation” offered audiences the opportunity to commune collectively with a watershed movement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
Ours is an age not only of cultural backsliding but also of people uprooting themselves for the sake of safety and reinvention.
From Salon ● May 20, 2026
Even Grand Rapids is at risk of backsliding, and some parts of the city are struggling with too little opportunity and too few strong families.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 19, 2025
A former adviser to Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh said Tuesday he will run against him in April elections, denouncing "democratic backsliding" in the small but highly strategic Horn of Africa nation.
From Barron's ● Dec. 16, 2025
Brother Fowles had been in Kilanga six years, which really when you think about it is long enough for about any kind of backsliding you could name.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
