relapse

1 of 2

noun

1
: the act or an instance of backsliding, worsening, or subsiding
2
: a recurrence of symptoms of a disease after a period of improvement

relapse

2 of 2

verb

re·​lapse ri-ˈlaps How to pronounce relapse (audio)
relapsed; relapsing

intransitive verb

1
: to slip or fall back into a former worse state
2
: sink, subside
relapse into deep thought
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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In stark relief to his previous, more ebullient hours, his latest work examined his 2020 drug relapse and the intervention that led to a successful stint in rehab. William Earl, Variety, 27 Nov. 2023 Encouraging women to quit during pregnancy, however, has been shown to increase risk of relapse and overdose. Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 22 Nov. 2023 Matthew Perry, who died Saturday at age 54, was a poster boy for another kind of recovery, the maddening and often helpless slog of chronic relapse. Sarah Hepola, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2023 Such a tool could help clinicians intervene before a relapse becomes an emergency. Christopher Rozell, Discover Magazine, 2 Oct. 2023 The band put the Las Vegas residency on hold for a period starting in May 2022 when Tyler entered a treatment program for relapse after undergoing foot surgery to prepare for the band’s return to the stage. Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 29 Sep. 2023 Sitting down to discuss the book, Perry is wryly candid about his long periods of sobriety and relapses. Julie Jordan, Peoplemag, 29 Oct. 2023 Readers sent us their stories of redemption and relapse, of bottoming out and helping one another to wholeness. Laura Newberry, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2023 Extreme heat can also cause temporary relapses in people with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, Farmer said. Noor Adatia, Dallas News, 7 Aug. 2023
Verb
Many patients who initially respond to treatment remain at risk of their leishmaniasis relapsing. Alexander Tin, CBS News, 19 Oct. 2023 Netflix last raised its prices in January 2022 and stopped offering its $9.99 Basic ad-free plan to new and relapsed users in July, forcing them to fork out more to avoid ads. Emma Roth, The Verge, 18 Oct. 2023 Darby, who was evicted from her hotel room after relapsing, was in residential treatment to get sober as of early October. Angela Hart | Kff Health News, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2023 Despite their desperation to kick their drug habit, St. Clair and Clifford have since relapsed, Patton reported. Angela Hart | Kff Health News, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2023 Were a biomarker available at the time, the clinical team would have had warning that the patient was relapsing weeks before standard symptom surveys showed that anything was wrong. Christopher Rozell, Discover Magazine, 2 Oct. 2023 The band resumed performances in early 2022 but later canceled their summer dates when Tyler checked into rehab after relapsing following foot surgery. Emily Krauser, Peoplemag, 12 Sep. 2023 In early November, Ryan relapsed and moved out of the facility to live with a friend, according to Lim and her claim. Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Oct. 2023 Kelley Deal, who stopped drinking in 1995, relapsed with opioids but has been clean since 2010. Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 15 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'relapse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Medieval Latin relapsus, from Latin relabi to slide back, from re- + labi to slide — more at sleep

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of relapse was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near relapse

Cite this Entry

“Relapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/relapse. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

relapse

1 of 2 noun
: a relapsing
especially : a recurrence of illness after a period of improvement

relapse

2 of 2 verb
re·​lapse ri-ˈlaps How to pronounce relapse (audio)
relapsed; relapsing
: to slip or fall back into a former worse state
relapser noun

Medical Definition

relapse

1 of 2 noun
re·​lapse ri-ˈlaps How to pronounce relapse (audio) ˈrē-ˌ How to pronounce relapse (audio)
: 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

relapse

2 of 2 intransitive verb
re·​lapse ri-ˈlaps How to pronounce relapse (audio)
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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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