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
James McNicholas, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Residents in those states rely solely on marketplace plans and are more vulnerable to federal funding lapses.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 8 Nov. 2025
The push followed months of scrutiny over safety lapses and near-misses, including the January midair collision near Reagan National Airport that killed 67 people.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 8 Nov. 2025
But missing Curry did not excuse the team’s lapses.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2025
Left unaddressed, this can lead to cognitive decline, including lapses in memory, trouble concentrating, or dementia-like symptoms in severe cases.
—Brigid Dwyer, Verywell Health, 6 Nov. 2025
Mitrovic will be tasked with taking over a team that fell below expectations in 2025, as the club missed the playoffs for the second straight season with a 9-16-9 record (36 points) and suffered from lapses that caused weeks and sometimes months-long winless runs.
—Julian Cardillo, Boston Herald, 5 Nov. 2025
Funding lapses send government scientists home without pay.
—Kenneth M. Evans, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2025
But DeSantis dismissed calls from state Democrats to declare an emergency, tap into emergency funds and distribute food aid as funding for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program lapses.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
Noun
This was a creditable Arsenal performance, punctuated — and punished — by two uncharacteristic defensive lapses.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Residents in those states rely solely on marketplace plans and are more vulnerable to federal funding lapses.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 8 Nov. 2025
The push followed months of scrutiny over safety lapses and near-misses, including the January midair collision near Reagan National Airport that killed 67 people.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 8 Nov. 2025
But missing Curry did not excuse the team’s lapses.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2025
Left unaddressed, this can lead to cognitive decline, including lapses in memory, trouble concentrating, or dementia-like symptoms in severe cases.
—Brigid Dwyer, Verywell Health, 6 Nov. 2025
Mitrovic will be tasked with taking over a team that fell below expectations in 2025, as the club missed the playoffs for the second straight season with a 9-16-9 record (36 points) and suffered from lapses that caused weeks and sometimes months-long winless runs.
—Julian Cardillo, Boston Herald, 5 Nov. 2025
Funding lapses send government scientists home without pay.
—Kenneth M. Evans, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2025
But DeSantis dismissed calls from state Democrats to declare an emergency, tap into emergency funds and distribute food aid as funding for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program lapses.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lapses
Noun
-
Despite major strides in the right direction, the push for a greener future has been dealt several devastating blows from a fraught supply chain, economic headwinds and political setbacks.—
Katherine Fung,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
-
It's been almost eight years since Tesla first announced the next-gen Roadster, and the project has been beset by delays and setbacks ever since.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
1 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Will Baltimore manage to thwart a Vikings rushing attack that gashed the Lions for 142 yards, cause McCarthy to assume a heavier load than Minnesota’s coaches would like and force the first-year starter into youthful mistakes?—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Hoover finished 319 yards on 34-of-50 passing, but his two turnovers were critical mistakes that led to TCU’s slow start in the first half.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Nov. 2025
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
-
Both are widely respected, but Sky News has been loss-making for years and its current funding guarantee from Comcast — one of the stipulations of the 2018 deal — expires in 2028.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The current deal expires on May 1, 2026.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In truth, the patriots’ path to victory was a near decade-long slog characterized by a string of strange bedfellows, strained alliances, and dramatic reversals.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
-
However, Solomon noted that such reversals were a normal feature of long-term bull markets, noting that the investment bank’s standing advice to clients remains to stay invested and review portfolio allocation, not attempt to time markets.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Orlando dominated the home stretch, however, by capitalizing on a string of Celtics errors.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Tied again at 21, the Rattlers had three hitting errors down the stretch.—
Tim Meehan SD,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The elevator stops at each floor and a new ghostly guest arrives offering some insight into Will’s plan.—
Amber McBride,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Some gardeners choose to pinch those old flowers away every day to enhance the look of their plants, while others decide to wait until the entire flower scape stops blooming to cut the scape stem down to the soil line.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Most of those came on reverses or other wide runs.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lapses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lapses. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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