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.
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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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Recent Examples of 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
Alaba is already 33 and, for almost two years now, injuries or relapses have prevented him playing regularly, so his recovery has been viewed with pessimism within the club.
—Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
Compared with the men in the study, women were 8 percent less likely to receive disease-modifying drugs to manage symptoms and 20 percent less likely to get newer medications that are highly effective at reducing multiple sclerosis relapses, according to findings published in the journal Neurology.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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
Alaba is already 33 and, for almost two years now, injuries or relapses have prevented him playing regularly, so his recovery has been viewed with pessimism within the club.
—Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
Compared with the men in the study, women were 8 percent less likely to receive disease-modifying drugs to manage symptoms and 20 percent less likely to get newer medications that are highly effective at reducing multiple sclerosis relapses, according to findings published in the journal Neurology.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relapses
Noun
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Pollsters found similar breakdowns among each party.—
Jessie Opoien,
jsonline.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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Racial and other demographic breakdowns of the 3,000 students retained were not immediately made available.—
Caroline Beck,
IndyStar,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Briefly taking human shape, the devil helps Thomasin sign a book that will complete the transaction, then reverts back to his four-legged form.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
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The deduction and the phase-out levels will increase by 1% a year until 2029, when the cap reverts back to the original $10,000.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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This was a creditable Arsenal performance, punctuated — and punished — by two uncharacteristic defensive lapses.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Residents in those states rely solely on marketplace plans and are more vulnerable to federal funding lapses.—
Cathie Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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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Tennessee has amassed more than $2 billion in a rainy day fund, designed to be used to accommodate unexpected shortfalls in state revenues, and amid emergencies such as natural disasters and recessions.—
Vivian Jones,
Nashville Tennessean,
23 Oct. 2025
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Previous recessions including the 2008 Great Recession were triggered by similar risky lending practices.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Four people were killed over a four-day period in crashes on Arkansas highways, according to preliminary Arkansas State Police reports.—
Daniel McFadin,
Arkansas Online,
10 Nov. 2025
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The filing cites past crashes, including a fatal 2009 FedEx MD-11 crash in Tokyo, and alleges similar design flaws or defects in Boeing’s MD-11 may have caused or contributed to the November 4 crash.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The memories of those late-game collapses crept in when the Sabres’ 4-2 lead became 4-3 early in the third period.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Credit has become a hot topic in the market lately due to the notable collapses of auto parts manufacturer First Brands Group and the subprime auto lender Tricolor Holdings.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Relapses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relapses. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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