1
: the act or an instance of backsliding, worsening, or subsiding
2
: a recurrence of symptoms of a disease after a period of improvement
relapsed; relapsing
1
: to slip or fall back into a former worse state
relapser
noun
Examples of relapse in a Sentence
Noun
Everyone thought she was well until a sudden relapse sent her back to the hospital.
a drug addict who has had a relapse
a drug addict who has a history of relapse
Verb
If you don't continue your treatment, you could relapse.
Malaria can relapse years after the original infection.
The country soon relapsed into chaos.
She stayed out of trouble for a long time, but then she relapsed into her old ways.
Recent Examples on the Web
Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
Curtis’ research has already led to identification of distinct genomic subtypes that predict a breast cancer relapse up to two decades after diagnosis.
—Mark Tatge, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Sean Neumann, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Both were treated with heavy antibiotic regimens and recovered, though patient 2 relapsed in November, requiring another hospital stay.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for relapse
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Noun
His decision to be open about the relapse was in part thanks to Bradley Cooper.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
Curtis’ research has already led to identification of distinct genomic subtypes that predict a breast cancer relapse up to two decades after diagnosis.
—Mark Tatge, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
Irsay’s trips to the hospital were largely private under an agreement with medical staff, according to the Post, which says a handful of people in his orbit grew concerned about him possibly relapsing into addiction.
—Sean Neumann, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Both were treated with heavy antibiotic regimens and recovered, though patient 2 relapsed in November, requiring another hospital stay.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for relapse
Cite this Entry
“Relapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/relapse. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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Medical Definition
: a recurrence of illness
especially
: a recurrence of symptoms of a disease after a period of improvement
a relapse after an 18-month remission —M. T. Fosburg et al.
compare recrudescence
M. T. Fosburg et al. relapse
2 of 2 intransitive verb
re·lapse
ri-ˈlaps 
relapsed; relapsing
: to slip or fall back into a former worse state (as of illness) after a change for the better
the patient relapsed twice in four years
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