relapse 1 of 2

Definition of relapsenext

relapse

2 of 2

verb

as in to revert
to return to a usually worse state or condition After a few good months of keeping their rooms clean, the kids relapsed into their old untidy habits.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of relapse
Noun
Meanwhile another trial that was double-blind examined the use of ibogaine for reducing cocaine cravings and found fewer relapses in the drug group compared with the placebo group. Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 24 Apr. 2026 Patients taking fenebrutinib suffered a relapse roughly every 17 years compared to an older treatment, according to data presented at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting in Chicago. Fabienne Kinzelmann, Bloomberg, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
The other two have a more common form of MS, called relapsing MS. Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 15 Mar. 2026 In reality, lupus tends to follow a relapsing-remitting pattern. Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 13 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for relapse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relapse
Noun
  • Meta is lingering around the 150-day moving average, and, having recently fallen below it, this reversion may be a head fake.
    Michael Khouw, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
  • The situation is one of ideological ferment, rather than a reversion to some Romneyite center.
    Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Technically the state could revert back to its original 2022 map with one majority-Black district or redraw a new map entirely.
    Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Heating can temporarily fix this, but the structure tends to revert after cooling.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • When comparing the age breakdown of Congress to the rest of the American workforce, there's a sizable gap.
    Elena Moore, NPR, 7 May 2026
  • Although the practice is still in the theoretical research stage, scientists have spent two decades studying the chemical compounds associated with the breakdown of the human body.
    Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
Verb
  • Or to some shaky American accents that keep lapsing.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 2026
  • That means insurance coverage would not lapse even if parents miss a monthly premium payment.
    Daniel Chang, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Later that year, Newsom announced the second round, which included projects to help the Finance Department more efficiently analyze legislation and assist the Labor and Workforce Development Agency to more accurately predict when a recession will occur.
    William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
  • At distances of billions of light-years, this corresponds to recession speeds that approach the speed of light, and for the most distant galaxies of all, like MoM-z14, speeds that even exceed it.
    Big Think, Big Think, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • Despite these setbacks, the condo and townhome segment demonstrated resilience, with average prices rising 9% to nearly $944,000.
    Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 2 May 2026
  • The project has faced several setbacks.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 May 2026
Noun
  • The dot-com crash was disastrous for the company and Turner, the largest individual shareholder in the combined company.
    Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 7 May 2026
  • Those incidents surfaced more than a year after Devin Willock and recruiting staff member Chandler LeCroy were killed in a car crash in 2023.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • The episode ends with Teddy getting a voicemail from Owen and overhearing a bridge collapse and car crash that may be fatal.
    Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 1 May 2026
  • An epic collapse in Game 3 put them on the back foot.
    David Troy, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Relapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relapse. Accessed 8 May. 2026.

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