lapsed

[lapst]

adjective

1. expired; voided; terminated.

   a lapsed insurance policy.

2. no longer committed to or following the tenets of a particular belief, obligation, position, etc..

   a lapsed Catholic.

Other Word Forms

• unlapsed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lapsed¹

First recorded in 1610–20; lapse + -ed ²

Example Sentences

He spoke in “a sort of Eastern European accent,” Starr testified, but lapsed at times into “other unidentified accents.”

From Los Angeles Times

If an "island" - as the creations are known - attracts new players, brings back lapsed fans or gets regular return visits, it will generate more money for its makers.

From BBC

That figure includes "lapsed" patients who have not attended their dentist for some time, and have fallen off the registration list.

From BBC

Like many lapsed Catholics, my relationship to the Church is complicated.

From Los Angeles Times

That other charity, the Arcadia Firefighters Foundation, is in “delinquent status” with the state attorney general’s office and also barred from accepting donations due to lapsed registration, according to publicly available filings.

From Los Angeles Times