lapse
noun
an accidental or temporary decline or deviation from an expected or accepted condition or state; a temporary falling or slipping from a previous standard.
has lapsed
-
present perfectof lapse (3rd person singular).present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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.
It is uncertain whether renters will face rapidly rising rents now that the protection has lapsed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026
That is expected to allow critical, lifesaving emergency operations to continue even though federal funding has lapsed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 12, 2026
Again, you’re probably not going to want to hire someone whose registration has lapsed.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 12, 2025
The program has lapsed and is awaiting U.S. lawmakers' reauthorisation.
From Reuters ● Aug. 21, 2023
Religious history proves that one hypothesis after another has worked ill, has crumbled at contact with a widening knowledge of the world, and has lapsed from the minds of men.
From The Will to Believe : and Other Essays in Popular Philosophy by William James
