Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

lapse

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of lapse

1 a change in status for the worse usually temporarily

  • the scandal caused the president to suffer a dramatic lapse in popularity
Synonyms of lapse

knock, reversal, reverse, setback
Words Related to lapse

disappointment, frustration, letdown

comedown, decline, descent, down, downfall, fall

turnabout, turnaround

recession, regression, retrogression, reversion

relapse

breakdown, collapse, crash, meltdown, ruin, undoing
Near Antonyms of lapse

status quo

2 an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy

  • his slip of the tongue about the mayorʼs name was an unfortunate lapse
Synonyms of lapse

blunder, bobble, boo-boo, boob [British], brick, clanger [British], clinker, error, fault, flub, fluff, fumble, gaff, gaffe, goof, inaccuracy, miscue, misstep, mistake, oversight, screwup, slip, slipup, stumble, trip
Words Related to lapse

bloomer, blooper, boner, howler, pratfall

foul-up, snafu

misapprehension, miscalculation, miscomprehension, misconception, misconstruction, miscue, misdescription, misimpression, misinterpretation, misjudgment, misreading, misstatement, misunderstanding
Near Antonyms of lapse

accuracy, correctness, exactitude, exactness, preciseness, precision, strictness

inerrancy, infallibility, perfection

3 the stopping of a process or activity

  • wasnʼt bothered by the lapse of her membership at the health club
Synonyms of lapse

arrest, arrestment, cease, cessation, check, close, closedown, closure, conclusion, cutoff, discontinuance, discontinuation, end, ending, expiration, finish, halt, offset, shutdown, shutoff, stay, stop, stoppage, surcease, termination
Words Related to lapse

mop-up, phaseout

abeyance, break, interruption, layoff, letup, moratorium, pause, standstill, suspension
Near Antonyms of lapse

extension, persistence, prolongation
Antonyms of lapse

continuance, continuation

Synonym Discussion of lapse

error, mistake, blunder, slip, lapse mean a departure from what is true, right, or proper. error suggests the existence of a standard or guide and a straying from the right course through failure to make effective use of this.
    • procedural errors
mistake implies misconception or inadvertence and usually expresses less criticism than error.
    • dialed the wrong number by mistake
blunder regularly imputes stupidity or ignorance as a cause and connotes some degree of blame.
    • diplomatic blunders
slip stresses inadvertence or accident and applies especially to trivial but embarrassing mistakes.
    • a slip of the tongue
lapse stresses forgetfulness, weakness, or inattention as a cause.
    • a lapse in judgment

lapse

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of lapse

to come to an end

  • the contract will lapse at the end of the year unless we renew
Synonyms of lapse

break off, break up, cease, close, conclude, dead-end, determine, die, discontinue, elapse, end, expire, finish, go, halt, leave off, let up, pass, quit, stop, terminate, wind up, wink (out)
Words Related to lapse

desist (from), lay off (of), refrain (from)

give over [British], knock off, pack (up or in)

break down, conk (out), cut out, stall

pause, stay, suspend

abate, peter (out), wind down
Phrases Synonymous with lapse

bite the dust
Near Antonyms of lapse

draw out, extend, prolong, protract
Antonyms of lapse

continue, hang on, persist

Learn More about lapse

  1. See words that rhyme with lapse Dictionary: Definition of lapse Spanish Central: Translation of lapse Nglish: Translation of lapse for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of lapse for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up lapse? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games