as in reverting
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 relapsing
Research suggests that going off the drugs earlier than this can increase the odds of relapsing.
—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
The comedian went in and out of rehab more than a dozen times throughout his life, and was sober for three years before relapsing again in 1995.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025
In a 2018 episode, Nick detailed a nightmarish experience relapsing into heroin use.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Dec. 2025
The story follows three addicts who, after their best friend’s overdose, join a secluded mountain sober house to get clean — only to discover the program’s most committed attendee is a recovering serial killer who’s relapsing in his own way.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 11 Nov. 2025
Irsay’s trips to the hospital were largely private under an agreement with medical staff, according to the Post, which says a handful of people in his orbit grew concerned about him possibly relapsing into addiction.
—Sean Neumann, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
The comedian went in and out of rehab more than a dozen times throughout his life, and was sober for three years before relapsing again in 1995.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025
In a 2018 episode, Nick detailed a nightmarish experience relapsing into heroin use.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Dec. 2025
The story follows three addicts who, after their best friend’s overdose, join a secluded mountain sober house to get clean — only to discover the program’s most committed attendee is a recovering serial killer who’s relapsing in his own way.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 11 Nov. 2025
Irsay’s trips to the hospital were largely private under an agreement with medical staff, according to the Post, which says a handful of people in his orbit grew concerned about him possibly relapsing into addiction.
—Sean Neumann, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relapsing
Verb
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Contingency plans are in place should the security situation deteriorate, which may necessitate reverting individual sailings or the wider structural change of the service back to the Cape of Good Hope route, Maersk said.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
4 Feb. 2026
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That’s a step in the right direction for a generation that is reverting back to a desire to meet in real life.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Urban Institute estimates nearly 5 million people will ultimately drop their health coverage in 2026 and be uninsured due to lapsing subsidies.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
23 Jan. 2026
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While Senate Republicans largely stuck together during the record-breaking government shutdown last year, Democrats capitalized on the crisis to bring attention to lapsing health care subsidies that expired at the beginning of the year, raising premiums for millions of Americans.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
19 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Relapsing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relapsing. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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