1
as in setbacks
a change in status for the worse usually temporarily
the scandal caused the president to suffer a dramatic lapse in popularity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mistakes
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
his slip of the tongue about the mayor's name was an unfortunate lapse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in cessations
the stopping of a process or activity
wasn't bothered by the lapse of her membership at the health club
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in expires
to come to an end
the contract will lapse at the end of the year unless we renew
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lapses
Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 23 Jan. 2026
The dialogue sometimes lapses from bad-funny to just bad.
—Judy Berman, Time, 21 Jan. 2026
Not so for poorer women and women of color; Black children are disproportionately likely to be reported to child-protective services, sometimes for minor maternal lapses.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
In past surveys of small businesses that suffered cyber and data breaches, incidents were caused by insecure cloud environments, ransomware, hackers, malicious employees or contractors, lapses by remote workers, software flaws and attacks on third-party vendors, the report said.
—Wire Services
wire Service, Dallas Morning News, 17 Jan. 2026
In past surveys of small businesses that suffered cyber and data breaches, incidents were caused by insecure cloud environments, ransomware, hackers, malicious employees or contractors, lapses by remote workers, software flaws and attacks on third-party vendors, the report said.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Jan. 2026
Thai authorities are now investigating the incident, which follows a series of other fatal accidents which have been blamed on safty lapses, the BBC reported.
—Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
In response to a user prompt, Grok acknowledged lapses in its digital safeguards.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
But for the Blue Devils to accomplish their season-long goals — to make a second straight Final Four run, especially — their current defensive lapses aren’t sustainable.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Noun
But the misses didn’t need to coincide with some of the mental lapses Edwards endured in the 70 seconds of Thursday’s loss.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 23 Jan. 2026
The dialogue sometimes lapses from bad-funny to just bad.
—Judy Berman, Time, 21 Jan. 2026
Not so for poorer women and women of color; Black children are disproportionately likely to be reported to child-protective services, sometimes for minor maternal lapses.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
In past surveys of small businesses that suffered cyber and data breaches, incidents were caused by insecure cloud environments, ransomware, hackers, malicious employees or contractors, lapses by remote workers, software flaws and attacks on third-party vendors, the report said.
—Wire Services
wire Service, Dallas Morning News, 17 Jan. 2026
In past surveys of small businesses that suffered cyber and data breaches, incidents were caused by insecure cloud environments, ransomware, hackers, malicious employees or contractors, lapses by remote workers, software flaws and attacks on third-party vendors, the report said.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Jan. 2026
Thai authorities are now investigating the incident, which follows a series of other fatal accidents which have been blamed on safty lapses, the BBC reported.
—Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
In response to a user prompt, Grok acknowledged lapses in its digital safeguards.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
But for the Blue Devils to accomplish their season-long goals — to make a second straight Final Four run, especially — their current defensive lapses aren’t sustainable.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lapses
Noun
-
The index reflects these setbacks.—
Chelsea Follett,
Oc Register,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Friday’s ruling is among several setbacks for the president’s executive order, which has faced multiple lawsuits.—
Tom Verdin,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This lens helps explain everything from investing mistakes and overspending to why some people quietly build wealth while others blow money in ways that, from the outside, look spectacularly dumb.—
Jasna Hodžić,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Players will now have the ability to correct mistakes by rewinding, as well as the option to save their progress.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Temporary cessations of hostility, but no permanent closing of the moral and social divide between debtor and creditor, and no giving up on the thought that some lives matter more than others.—
Henry Freedland,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The back-and-forth will result in at least a short government shutdown; funding for large swaths of the government expires on Saturday and the House likely won’t approve it until Monday at the earliest.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The city council's goal is to have everything finalized before the city's Flock contract expires at the end of March.—
Chierstin Roth,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The files about such a sensitive and complicated series of crimes could be released to the public only by way of a convoluted procedural process, but the process came to seem suspiciously convoluted to many Americans in large part because of the president’s many reversals and evasions.—
Kaitlyn Tiffany,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The cautious Roth, however, warns that companies can be prone to abrupt reversals of fortune.—
Jeff John Roberts,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Reina’s attorney in a separate civil case wrote in a court filing that his client’s potential errors were unintentional and made in good faith.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Taxpayers rightly ask, are independent audits being properly performed and reviewed to prevent such errors?—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The abrupt disruption resulted in chip shortages and production halts at several automakers.—
Sarah Jacob,
Bloomberg,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Conflict in Yemen has prompted air traffic halts — leaving about 600 tourists stranded on a remote island.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
After the initial stomach issues subside, the toxin continues to invade the liver cells and stops them from making RNA (ribonucleic acid), which the body needs to make healing and protective proteins.—
Amy McGorry,
FOXNews.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
In turn, breathing nearly stops, and its brain activity becomes barely detectable.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lapses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lapses. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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