relapse

[ri-laps, ri-laps, ree-laps]

verb (used without object)

relapsed, relapsing 

1. to fall or slip back into a former state, practice, etc..

   to relapse into silence.

2. to fall back into illness after convalescence or apparent recovery.

3. to fall back into vice, wrongdoing, or error; backslide.

   to relapse into heresy.

   Synonyms: lapse, revert, regress

noun

1. an act or instance of relapsing.

2. a return of a disease or illness after partial recovery from it.

relapse

verb

1. to lapse back into a former state or condition, esp one involving bad habits

2. to become ill again after apparent recovery

noun

1. the act or an instance of relapsing

2. the return of ill health after an apparent or partial recovery

Other Word Forms

• relapsable adjective
• relapser noun
• unrelapsing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of relapse¹

First recorded in 1400–50; (for the verb) late Middle English, from Latin relāpsus “slid back,” past participle of relābī “to slide back, revert,” from re- re- + lābī “to fall, slide, make a mistake”; noun derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of relapse¹

C16: from Latin relabī to slip back, from _re- + labī to slip, slide

Example Sentences

To the insurer, it would look like he had relapsed, which he said he had not during that time.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The judge decided on the secure mental health unit because returning to prison "is likely to result in a relapse and risk to the public when you are released."

Read more on BBC

But, once Jones moved back to her own life in Leicester, Paula suffered a relapse.

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“She relapsed over seven times, died twice, Narcan twice, and she’s nine-plus years sober now,” Kitsch says.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Williams had privately struggled with addiction to ketamine and had recently relapsed after years of sobriety.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• recidivism 
• recurrence 
• regression 
• worsening www.thesaurus.com