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.
was lapsing
-
past progressiveof lapse.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
“Jerry was taking medication for his heart, his memory was lapsing, he could barely move,” said Jean-Pierre Frohlich, who assisted Robbins during the process.
From New York Times ● May 6, 2023
Moreover, the post I sought was lapsing into a domestic situation, for which my antecedents eminently unfitted me, nor did I pretend to think otherwise.
From Dross by Henry Seton Merriman
The conversation was lapsing when the stranger turned and gazed at the mountains showing through the mist along the coast.
From The Great Gold Rush A Tale of the Klondike by W. H. P. (William Henry Pope) Jarvis
All the world was lapsing into a grey wish-wash of nothingness, she had no contact and no connection anywhere.
From Women in Love by D. H. (David Herbert) Lawrence
She had almost fainted and was lapsing into French, laughing and crying alternately, telling him to go, yet clinging to him.
From The Dream Doctor by Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin) Reeve
