relapse
verb (used without object)
to fall or slip back into a former state, practice, etc..
relapsed
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past participleof relapse.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof relapse.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
relapseverb (used without object)to fall or slip back into a former state, practice, etc..
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.
Maya, 13, from Hythe in Kent, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at three years old, but relapsed in 2023 having been in remission for five years.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
Ward said if Rios relapsed she likely felt deep shame about it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
Yemen relapsed into war in July after years of relative calm punctured by sporadic violence and deepening poverty.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
Individuals who had relapsed after therapy had significantly narrower cristae than newly diagnosed patients, with the most dramatic differences appearing in those previously treated with venetoclax.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 23, 2025
When informed of this, he stopped and said Tally-ho, what?” in a feeble voice, then relapsed into silence.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
