as in breakdowns
the act or an instance of returning to a usually worse state or condition
She discussed some ways to help avoid a relapse after quitting smoking. After a long period of cancer remission, he suffered a relapse.
Related Words
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Dissimilar Words
as in reverts
to return to a usually worse state or condition
After a few good months of keeping their rooms clean, the kids relapsed into their old untidy habits.
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Dissimilar Words
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Recent Examples of relapses
Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 28 Jan. 2026
After one character relapses, Clay is offered the empty room at a group home.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 25 Jan. 2026
Across the squad, only 10 players have not missed a match due to an injury sustained this season (Jude Bellingham and Endrick have both been absent in games due to existing problems/relapses during recovery from these issues).
—Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2025
In the 36 years since then, she’s been on six different treatments and — despite multiple relapses with symptoms ranging from blurred vision to migraines and memory loss — has enjoyed a peripatetic life with Fox, traveling around the country and the world and cherishing every moment together.
—Andrew Abrahams, PEOPLE, 11 Dec. 2025
Having had numerous previous relapses, Wilson began sobriety at age 39.
—Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 11 Dec. 2025
His drug addiction harmed him for decades, with constant advances and setbacks, with relapses that wore down his health.
—Esteban Campanela, CNN Money, 25 Nov. 2025
Said to offer a level of care not currently available in any other local program, patients would be overseen by doctors and nurses who would oversee withdrawal management and therapy designed to prevent relapses.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
Not only are relapses unpredictable but scientists have yet to explain the slow and insidious degeneration that often occurs even without new lesions.
—Lucinda Rosenfeld, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
Katie Rife, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2026
Noun
According to the police foundation, the centers have helped cut crime relapses from 85% in 2017 to a current 6%.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 28 Jan. 2026
After one character relapses, Clay is offered the empty room at a group home.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 25 Jan. 2026
Across the squad, only 10 players have not missed a match due to an injury sustained this season (Jude Bellingham and Endrick have both been absent in games due to existing problems/relapses during recovery from these issues).
—Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2025
In the 36 years since then, she’s been on six different treatments and — despite multiple relapses with symptoms ranging from blurred vision to migraines and memory loss — has enjoyed a peripatetic life with Fox, traveling around the country and the world and cherishing every moment together.
—Andrew Abrahams, PEOPLE, 11 Dec. 2025
Having had numerous previous relapses, Wilson began sobriety at age 39.
—Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 11 Dec. 2025
His drug addiction harmed him for decades, with constant advances and setbacks, with relapses that wore down his health.
—Esteban Campanela, CNN Money, 25 Nov. 2025
Said to offer a level of care not currently available in any other local program, patients would be overseen by doctors and nurses who would oversee withdrawal management and therapy designed to prevent relapses.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
Not only are relapses unpredictable but scientists have yet to explain the slow and insidious degeneration that often occurs even without new lesions.
—Lucinda Rosenfeld, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
Cody and Jack’s sister Katrina (Emily Meade) is barely mentioned until Cody relapses and breaks into her house to pass out on her couch.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relapses
Noun
-
Schnell said his department has repeatedly asked DHS to provide underlying data, methodologies or jurisdictional breakdowns but has received no response.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Other Cruz fundraising pleas have used different breakdowns.—
Joseph Morton,
Dallas Morning News,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But when a group of three men interrupts their work to drag Fu Sheng off on suspicion of theft, Grainier reverts back to that child who watched Chinese families being rounded up.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
24 Nov. 2025
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Alone and in pain, Carlson reverts back to a combat mindset and finds himself in a dark place.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
11 Nov. 2025
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
-
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
Noun
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But there are a wide range of both broken skills and weapons (go try out Sturm), and some promised updates or nerf reversions don’t seem to have happened at all.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Typically, deficits expand in recessions because of lower tax revenues and additional spending on unemployment benefits.—
Raghuram Rajan,
Time,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Twin recessions with unemployment rates topping 10% and remaining above 7% for about four years.—
Howard Schneider,
USA Today,
19 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Additional information on each of the crashes, including the causes, was not immediately available Sunday.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
1 Feb. 2026
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But since construction began, the area has also seen a 600% spike in vehicle crashes and notable noise pollution.—
Aliana Mediratta,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Battalion Chief Shawn Tacklind said crews were worried about interior collapses due to the damage from the fire.—
Brandon Downs,
CBS News,
31 Jan. 2026
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As the marginal cost of thinking collapses, the scope of what organizations can afford to analyze expands dramatically.—
Michael Wystrach,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Relapses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relapses. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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