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
Relevance
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
-
Jim's stock market commentary , market analysis , stock pick breakdowns , and Club Members' Mailbag offer an MBA-caliber finance education that is easy to absorb and apply to your personal investing strategies.—
,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
-
India and Pakistan have fought four wars since Partition in 1947 — in 1947–48, 1965, 1971 and 1999 — with the territory of Kashmir remaining the central flashpoint in a relationship marked by military confrontation, diplomatic breakdowns and periodic escalations.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Rather, the savvy seller should make sure the other 2% reverts back to them.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
30 Jan. 2026
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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
Noun
-
Preparing in advance is the best way to avoid setbacks.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The United States team of Minnesotans Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin suffered its first setbacks of the 2026 Winter Olympics on Saturday, defeated 6-4 by Great Britain and 6-5 in an extra end by South Korea in Cortina D’Ampezzo, Italy.—
Duluth News Tribune,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Per state law, the district already submits annual financial and compliance audits performed by an external firm, which have on occasion revealed things such as payroll lapses and contract overpayment.—
Melissa Brown,
Chalkbeat,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Williams, 40, faces a whisper campaign of criticism for communication lapses, meddling in police operations, and filling jobs with former colleagues from her previous employer, Miami Beach.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Feb. 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
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The forward price-to-earnings multiple of the S & P 500 Value ETF (IVE) is now above 19 for the first time in memory – possibly the first time ever outside of recessions where profits have collapsed.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
9 Feb. 2026
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Our business has experienced recessions, booms and everything in between.—
Raymond Gallagher,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
High-speed, one-way corridors are associated with more severe crashes.—
Tim Giuliani,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
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Multiple dead, several injured after car crashes into grocery store.—
,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In the new study, Bruzzone and his team focused on localized surface collapses that occur when sections of rock give way, creating skylight-like openings that can expose underground voids.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
9 Feb. 2026
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Building collapses are not uncommon in Tripoli because of poor building standards.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Relapses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relapses. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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