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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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
Deldhy Nicolás Moya Sánchez, The Conversation, 16 Mar. 2026
In these cases, people have unpredictable attacks and temporary relapses followed by a period of recovery.
—Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 15 Mar. 2026
Throughout college, Reid’s medications provided fleeting relief, followed by relapses that left her bedridden at home.
—Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
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
Katie Rife, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2026
Noun
Studies show that adults with anxiety and untreated ADHD suffer greater functional impairment and more frequent relapses, meaning their severe anxiety or depressive episodes keep returning despite therapy or medication.
—Deldhy Nicolás Moya Sánchez, The Conversation, 16 Mar. 2026
In these cases, people have unpredictable attacks and temporary relapses followed by a period of recovery.
—Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 15 Mar. 2026
Throughout college, Reid’s medications provided fleeting relief, followed by relapses that left her bedridden at home.
—Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
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
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
-
Even though property taxes are the top source of revenue for the county’s core services, the annual budget doesn’t give department-by-department breakdowns of how that revenue is spent.—
Douglas Hanks
March 13,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
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More than a year later, with much of the Palisades still in ruins, LAFD leaders have refused to explain how or why the breakdowns occurred.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Besides, the new speed cameras produce most of their violations outside the pick-up and drop-off windows, when the speed limit reverts back to normal and any yellow lights should go dark.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
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The final rule reverts the industry to standards first established in 2012 by the Obama administration that have reduced mercury emissions by nearly 90%.—
Michael Phillis,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But economic setbacks pale in comparison to tragic loss of life.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
14 Mar. 2026
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This effort to grow the latest crop large enough to survive and thrive in nature took 10 years with setbacks that nearly derailed everything.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That could — when the policy lapses ― expose taxpayers to additional risk.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Watch for and prune out any reversions, which are individual shoots lacking variegation.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
8 Feb. 2026
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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
-
Similarly, over time, markets have recovered from past wars, recessions and pandemics, even though the bounceback wasn’t always so rapid.—
Jeanne Sahadi,
CNN Money,
13 Mar. 2026
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Oil spikes have preceded recessions in the past half-century in 1979, 1990, 2000 and 2008, for example.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
No additional information about any of the crashes was available.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
15 Mar. 2026
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Sunday, the Minnesota State Patrol reported three injury crashes, 68 property damage crashes, 177 vehicles off the road, nine spinouts and seven jackknifed semis.—
Pioneer Press,
Twin Cities,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In the Santiago de Cuba province, housing damage was particularly severe, with 95,000 homes affected, 2,300 total collapses, and 6,000 complete roof failures.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
17 Mar. 2026
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Building collapses are common in Nairobi, where housing is in high demand and unscrupulous developers often bypass regulations or simply violate building codes.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Relapses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relapses. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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