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Glite Dictionary
to backslide

to backslide

2 7.5
To start doing old bad habits again after making progress
  • verb
  • /ˈbækˌslaɪd/
translation icon : retroceder
  • Will you promise me that you will never backslide?
  • going to backslide

She really backslid when everything she did as governor was banning, no exceptions.

Examples

  • We know from history that trade policy tends to backslide toward protectionism unless liberalization continues moving forward.

    Academic text (1999)

  • 'Cause, you know, sometimes the pressure to backslide can be very strong.

    The Con Artist (2010)

  • When they backslide, we hear all about it.

    Blog text (12)

  • And it is OK to backslide like we are humans.

  • It is so easy to backslide into old habits.

    Blog text (30)

  • We're all going to backslide as the haves drop and the have-nots climb.

    Blog text (9)

  • First, the ever-present threat of pain and humiliation in boxing inspired him to rigor in his training, and he worried that if he stopped going to the gym, he would backslide in other endeavors that also required discipline.

    Academic text (2000)

  • After several months of therapy, he was afraid he might backslide into his old habits of procrastination.

  • Even though she made great progress, the stress of work caused her to backslide into unhealthy eating habits.

  • He promised to stay committed to his goals, but he worried that a tough week might lead him to backslide.

Synonyms

to revert
vsto backslide
67 4.2

To go back to a previous state or way of doing things

is narrower, focusing on returning specifically to bad behaviour after progress
to regress
vsto backslide
24 7.5

To return to an earlier, less developed or worse state

is specifically about moral or behavioural relapse after prior improvement
to fall back
vsto backslide
13 4.2

To begin an old bad habit again after trying to change

is about returning after real progress rather than any simple slip
to lapse
vsto backslide
8 5.2

To return to a previous bad habit

is a stronger, morally focused return after improvement rather than a small slip
to fall from grace
vsto backslide
3 7.0

To begin behaving badly again and lose people's respect

is focused on private return to bad habits rather than public loss of favour
to fall into old habits
vsto backslide
  • Informal
1 3.6

Start acting the same as before after trying to change

is specifically about falling back into bad conduct after making progress
to retrogress
vsto backslide
  • Formal
1 8.7

To go back to an earlier, worse state

is about personal habit relapse rather than broad decline or deterioration
to slip back to old ways
vsto backslide
  • Informal
5.7

Gradually return to old habits, often bad ones

is more about a clear relapse after improvement rather than a slow drift
to recidivate
vsto backslide
  • Specialized
9.9

To commit the same crime again after being punished

is more general and covers moral or habitual return not only crimes

Antonyms

to improve
∞ 1.0

To make something better

How Severe

relapse
33 6.5
to regress
24 7.5
to backslide
2 7.5
lapse
81 4.9
slip
79 1.6

Surface Forms

backslide infinitive
backsliding present participle
backslides third person singular
backslid past
backslid past participle

Morphology

backslide = slide (transparent) = back + slide

The verb is directly the combination of 'back' (to a previous state) + 'slide' (to move), yielding the clear sense 'to slide back; relapse'. [Postprocessing: moved 'back' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

Backslide combines back and slide, which together mean 'move backward' or 'slip back', like when you slide down a hill and return to where you started. So, to backslide is to fall back into old, usually bad, habits after you had been making progress.