1
: the act or an instance of backsliding, worsening, or subsiding
2
: a recurrence of symptoms of a disease after a period of improvement
relapsed; relapsing
1
: to slip or fall back into a former worse state
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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ethan Brooks, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2025
His decision to be open about the relapse was in part thanks to Bradley Cooper.
—Julia Moore, People.com, 17 Feb. 2025
Esther Kang, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
A day after arriving at the facility, Cartwright relapsed, according to a complaint provided to McClatchy News.
—Julia Marnin, Sacbee.com, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for relapse
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Noun
The relapse rate for those in recovery is as high as 70 percent.
—Ethan Brooks, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2025
His decision to be open about the relapse was in part thanks to Bradley Cooper.
—Julia Moore, People.com, 17 Feb. 2025
Verb
During the second part of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 14 reunion, the sisters provided an update on how the former reality star was faring after relapsing into her alcohol addiction.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
A day after arriving at the facility, Cartwright relapsed, according to a complaint provided to McClatchy News.
—Julia Marnin, Sacbee.com, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for relapse
Cite this Entry
“Relapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/relapse. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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Medical Definition
: 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
M. T. Fosburg et al. relapse
2 of 2 intransitive verb
re·lapse
ri-ˈlaps 
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
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