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
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
Even with the great treatments that are available, progression of the disease may still continue and can’t be totally stopped, even without relapses.
—Michelle Maves, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
His main goal is to provide support and encouragement, especially during relapses.
—Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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
Even with the great treatments that are available, progression of the disease may still continue and can’t be totally stopped, even without relapses.
—Michelle Maves, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
His main goal is to provide support and encouragement, especially during relapses.
—Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relapses
Noun
-
Three breakdowns appear repeatedly.—
Katerin Le Folcalvez,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
-
It's got arrows and breakdowns.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
After back-to-back campaigns filled with setbacks, Scott re-signed with the Panthers on a 1-year deal this offseason.—
Mike Kaye
January 8,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Backups Jaylon Moore and Wanya Morris suffered setbacks in subsequent weeks, pushing the Chiefs down to their last options at tackle on the depth chart.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Stewart visited three county jails in 2024 and found major lapses in medical and mental health care.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
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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 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
-
If state leaders make these smart — but hard — choices, the payoff will be greater affordability, better services, sustained competitiveness, and protection against recessions and federal cuts.—
Andrew Rein,
New York Daily News,
6 Jan. 2026
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As noted earlier, remittances tend to hold steady or even rise during recessions, currency shocks, or natural disasters in receiving countries.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
2 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Isaac Gonzales, founder of Slow Down Sacramento, said the locations of where these crashes happened were not surprising.—
James Taylor,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
-
In the national parks, drowning ranks behind only motor-vehicle crashes as the leading cause of accidental death.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Tehran has warned suppliers against hoarding and price gouging as the rial collapses against the dollar, exacerbating public frustration and fueling daily demonstrations.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
8 Jan. 2026
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Both have endured crippling US sanctions that have precipitated economic collapses.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Relapses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relapses. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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