backslider
1
8.2
- noun
- /ˈbækˌslaɪdər/
- After months of dedication to his fitness, James became a backslider when he started eating junk food again.
Examples
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- Listen, boy, I was a backslider myself.
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Am I a backslider, yes.
Blog text (9) -
There are ways of dealing with a backslider.
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Daniel, you've come here and you've brought good and wealth, but you have also brought your bad habits as a backslider.
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But once a member, one became a part of a "circle of sobriety" in which reformed drinkers could spread the gospel of temperance, encourage fellow Sons, and correct backsliders.
Academic text (2014) -
Many people struggle with their habits, and a backslider often returns to old ways after trying to improve.
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In support groups, backsliders share their experiences to help others avoid falling back into bad habits.
Synonyms
4
9.8
A person who keeps committing crimes after being punished
1
8.4
A person who returns to unhealthy behavior after getting better
A person who goes back to old bad habits
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Backslider comes from the parts back and slide, so picture someone who 'slides back' like down a hill into their old ways. That's why a backslider is a person who falls back into bad habits or old behaviour after a time of improvement.