Lapse
Lapse noun - A change in status for the worse usually temporarily.
Usage example: the scandal caused the president to suffer a dramatic lapse in popularity
Relapse is a synonym for lapse in decline topic. In some cases you can use "Relapse" instead the word "Lapse" as a verb or a noun, when it comes to topics like better, expire, revert, backsliding. popular alternative
Relapse
Relapse verb - Go back to bad behavior.
Lapse is a synonym for relapse in decline topic. You can use "Lapse" instead the word "Relapse" as a noun or a verb, if it concerns topics such as better, deteriorate, deterioration, expire. popular alternative
Mutual synonyms
How words are described
| brief | brief lapse | brief relapse |
| painful | painful lapse | painful relapse |
| severe | severe lapse | severe relapse |
| little | little lapse | little relapse |
| Other adjectives: slight, major, temporary, odd, subsequent, occasional. | ||
Common collocations
| bit | lapse bit | relapse bit |
Cite this Source
Relapse and Lapse. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/lapse/relapse
Lapse & Relapse. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/lapse/relapse>.
Relapse or Lapse. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/lapse/relapse.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "lapse" and "relapse" have occurred on timeline