lapse into

phrasal verb

lapsed into; lapsing into; lapses into
1
: to begin using or doing (something that should be avoided) for a short period of time
He's a good writer, but he occasionally lapses into jargon.
2
: to begin to be in (a worse or less active state or condition)
The crowd lapsed into silence.
The patient lapsed into a coma.
The society lapsed into decline.

Examples of lapse into in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Most Third World states, for example, that were born as democracies lapsed into dictatorships or became autocratic shortly after independence. Ashley J. Tellis, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025 Edmonton was dominating as the game lapsed into the 20-minute sudden-death overtime, then finished late in OT when Draisaitl’s shot sent arena decibels through the roof. Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 5 June 2025 Blood pressure plummets and the patient lapses into cardiac arrhythmia, or an irregular heartbeat. Rick Jervis, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2025 Even when some of Austin’s buddies lapse into therapyspeak, their group is not pitched as a place for enlightenment, or even emotional support as such. Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for lapse into

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lapse into.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lapse%20into. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!