recidivism
noun
Did you know?
The re- in recidivism is the same re- in relapse and return, and like those words recidivism is about going back: it’s a tendency to relapse, especially into criminal behavior. Recidivism is a 19th century French borrowing that’s ultimately from a Latin word meaning “to relapse into sin or crime.” In borrowing recidivism, English was itself engaging in a kind of recidivism: the same Latin source of recidivism had been nabbed in the 16th century to form the much less common recidivate, meaning “to fall into or exhibit recidivism.”
Examples of recidivism in a Sentence
Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 2025
State officials are working to incorporate programs and best practices at San Quentin from correctional facilities in countries like Norway, which boasts one of the lowest recidivism rates worldwide.
—Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Exantus was originally sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2018, but was released last week due to good behavior under a 2012 Kentucky state law aimed at reducing recidivism by requiring periods of reentry for felons, according to authorities.
—Mason Leath, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2025
Sairras spoke on behalf of Combs Friday and shed light on the effectiveness of his organization and its ability to prevent recidivism.
—Essence, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for recidivism
Cite this Entry
“Recidivism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recidivism. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
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recidivism
noun
A. E. Kazdin et al.Legal Definition
recidivism
noun
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