Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense relapses, present participle relapsing, past tense, past participle relapsedpronunciation note: The noun can be pronounced (rɪlæps) or (riːlæps).
1. verb
If you say that someone relapses into a way of behaving that is undesirable, you mean that they start to behave in that way again.
'I wish I did,' said Phil Jordan, relapsing into his usual gloom. [VERB + into]
It is by no means clear that the financial markets will not relapse into panic. [VERBinto noun]
Relapse is also a noun.
...a relapse into the nationalism of the nineteenth century. [+ into]
2. verb
If a sick person relapses, their health suddenly gets worse after it had been improving.
In 90 per cent of cases the patient will relapse within six months. [VERB]
Synonyms: worsen, deteriorate, sicken, weaken More Synonyms of relapse
Relapse is also a noun.
The treatment is usually given to women with a high risk of relapse after surgery.
The sufferer can experience frequent relapses.
More Synonyms of relapse
relapse in British English
verb (rɪˈlæps)(intransitive)
1.
to lapse back into a former state or condition, esp one involving bad habits
2.
to become ill again after apparent recovery
noun (rɪˈlæps, ˈriːˌlæps)
3.
the act or an instance of relapsing
4.
the return of ill health after an apparent or partial recovery
Derived forms
relapser (reˈlapser)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Latin relabī to slip back, from re- + labī to slip, slide
relapse in American English
(rɪˈlæps; also, and for n. usually, ˈrilæps)
verb intransitiveWord forms: reˈlapsed or reˈlapsing
1.
to slip or fall back into a former condition, esp. after improvement or seeming improvement
; specif.,
a.
to fall back into illness
b.
to fall back into bad habits, wrongdoing, etc.; backslide
noun
2.
the act or an instance of relapsing
3.
the recurrence of a disease after apparent improvement
Derived forms
relapser (reˈlapser)
noun
Word origin
< L relapsus, pp. of relabi, to slip or slide back: see re- & lapse
Examples of 'relapse' in a sentence
relapse
Women with a history of mental health issues are at risk of relapse after giving birth.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There is a risk of a relapse.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Counselling is important too or you risk a relapse again.
The Sun (2015)
But sustaining the recovery will be very challenging and the risks of a relapse are high.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
That is the reason my celebrity patients relapse.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But the broke star knows it will be hard to get people to help out again after his relapse this week.
The Sun (2014)
But part of recovery is relapse.
The Sun (2007)
Don't regularly exceed your daily energy allowance or you will risk relapse.
MacIntyre, Anne M. E. Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome - How To Live With It (1989)
Around 50 per cent of people trying a more intensive exercise recovery programme experience a significant relapse.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
This has been a Budget for relapse, not recovery.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In other languages
relapse
British English: relapse /ˈriːˌlæps/ NOUN
If someone has a relapse or if there is a relapse then that person starts to behave in a particular way again or a situation returns to how it was before.
...the threat of a relapse into a regional war.
American English: relapse
Arabic: اِنْتِكَاسَة
Brazilian Portuguese: recaída
Chinese: 复发
Croatian: vratiti se na staro
Czech: recidiva
Danish: tilbagefald
Dutch: terugval
European Spanish: recaída
Finnish: takapakki
French: rechute
German: Rückfall
Greek: υποτροπή
Italian: ricaduta
Japanese: 逆戻り
Korean: 퇴보
Norwegian: tilbakefall
Polish: nawrót
European Portuguese: recaída
Romanian: recădere
Russian: повторение
Latin American Spanish: recaída
Swedish: återfall
Thai: กลับสู่สภาพเดิม
Turkish: eski haline dönmek
Ukrainian: повторення
Vietnamese: sự tái phát
British English: relapse VERB
If you say that someone relapses into a way of behaving that is undesirable, you mean that they start to behave in that way again.
I wish I did', he said, relapsing into his usual gloom.
American English: relapse
Brazilian Portuguese: recair
Chinese: 复发
European Spanish: volver a
French: retomber
German: zurückfallen in
Italian: ricadere
Japanese: 再び陥る
Korean: > 되돌아가다바람직하지 못한 상태로
European Portuguese: recair
Latin American Spanish: reincidir
1 (verb)
Definition
to fall back into bad habits or illness
He was relapsing into his usual gloom.
Synonyms
lapse
revert
He reverted to his old bad habits.
degenerate
The argument degenerated into a fist fight.
slip back
fail
weaken
fall back
regress
Such countries are not developing at all, but regressing.
backslide
Keep these things in mind to help prevent you from backsliding.
retrogress
2 (verb)
Definition
to fall back into bad habits or illness
In 90 per cent of cases the patient will relapse within six months.
Synonyms
worsen
The security forces had to intervene to prevent the situation from worsening.
deteriorate
There are fears that the situation may deteriorate.
sicken
weaken
The storm was finally beginning to weaken.
Family structures are weakening and breaking up.
fail
He was 93 and his health was failing rapidly.
sink
Our hopes were sinking fast.
fade
Opposites
improve
,
recover
,
rally
,
get better
1 (noun)
Definition
the act of relapsing
a relapse into the nationalism of the nineteenth century
Synonyms
lapse
His behaviour showed neither decency or dignity. It was an uncommon lapse.
regression
fall from grace
reversion
backsliding
recidivism
retrogression
2 (noun)
Definition
the return of ill health after an apparent or partial recovery
The sufferer can experience frequent relapses.
Synonyms
worsening
setback
deterioration
recurrence
turn for the worse
weakening
Opposites
improvement
,
rally
,
recovery
,
turn for the better
Additional synonyms
in the sense of backslide
Definition
to relapse into former bad habits or vices
Keep these things in mind to help prevent you from backsliding.
Synonyms
relapse,
slip,
weaken,
go wrong,
stray,
lapse,
revert to old habits,
fall back,
degenerate,
slip back to old ways,
regress,
go astray,
retrogress
in the sense of degenerate
Definition
to become degenerate
The argument degenerated into a fist fight.
Synonyms
decline,
slip,
sink,
decrease,
deteriorate,
worsen,
rot,
decay,
lapse,
fall off,
regress,
go to pot,
retrogress
in the sense of deteriorate
Definition
to become worse
There are fears that the situation may deteriorate.
Synonyms
decline,
worsen,
degenerate,
fall,
fail,
drop,
slip,
sink,
slide,
slump,
degrade,
depreciate,
go downhill,
go to the dogs (informal),
go down the tubes (informal),
go to pot,
go to rack and ruin,
be the worse for wear (informal)
Synonyms of 'relapse'
relapse
Explore 'relapse' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of fail
He was 93 and his health was failing rapidly.
Synonyms
decline,
fade,
weaken,
deteriorate,
dwindle,
sicken,
degenerate,
fall apart at the seams,
be on your last legs (informal)
in the sense of regress
Definition
to return to a former and worse condition
Such countries are not developing at all, but regressing.
Synonyms
revert,
deteriorate,
return,
go back,
retreat,
lapse,
fall back,
wane,
recede,
ebb,
degenerate,
relapse,
lose ground,
turn the clock back,
backslide,
retrogress,
retrocede,
fall away or off
in the sense of retrogress
Definition
to go back to an earlier worse condition
Synonyms
deteriorate,
return,
decline,
go back,
worsen,
revert,
relapse,
regress,
go downhill (informal),
retrograde,
backslide,
retrocede
in the sense of revert
Definition
to go back to a former state
He reverted to his old bad habits.
Synonyms
go back,
return,
come back,
resume,
lapse,
recur,
relapse,
regress,
backslide,
take up where you left off
in the sense of sink
Definition
to become weaker in health
Our hopes were sinking fast.
Synonyms
decline,
die,
fade,
fail,
flag,
weaken,
diminish,
decrease,
deteriorate,
decay,
worsen,
dwindle,
lessen,
degenerate,
depreciate,
go downhill (informal)
in the sense of weaken
Definition
to become or make weak or weaker
The storm was finally beginning to weaken.Family structures are weakening and breaking up.