to lapse
8
5.2
- verb
- /læps/
:
recaer
- The last breath shoots out of her, and then she lapses into unconsciousness.
- lapse into unconsciousness
- risk of lapsing
And then when you try to use these, you lapse into inadmissible and uncertain assertions.
- And then when you try to use these, you lapse into inadmissible and uncertain assertions.
- Or it's actually more like a line such that you need far fewer bouts of stress in order to lapse into a major depression.
- And I just don't, I don't not only do I not find that that helpful, I think that it could, I think that that it could be responsible for people lapsing into delusion.
Examples
-
But it would seem on recent evidence, Mr. Brandon allowed his objectivity to lapse.
-
Yet he somehow never allowed himself to lapse into the role of teacher's pet.
Fiction book (2001) -
You're starting to lapse back into it
-
Their car runs out of gas, the younger brother gets sick, and Mom and Dad lapse into repeated arguments.
Academic text (1997) -
If this does not happen, she could lapse into the promiscuity... and bitterness of the failed romantic.
-
"You've stopped listening," he would say, then lapse into brooding silence.
Fiction book (2000) -
Eventually, workaholic behaviors spiral out of control, become dysfunctional, and lapse into full-blown Workaholism Syndrome.
Academic text (2008) -
After a few weeks of feeling better, she began to lapse back into her old habits of overeating.
-
If you don't keep practicing, you may lapse and forget what you've learned.
-
He promised not to lapse into procrastination after making a new schedule.
Synonyms
184
3.5
To become worse or fall to a lower level
67
4.2
To go back to a previous state or way of doing things
24
7.5
To return to an earlier, less developed or worse state
13
4.2
To begin an old bad habit again after trying to change
11
6.1
To become ill again or return to a bad habit after getting better
2
7.5
To start doing old bad habits again after making progress
1
3.6
Start acting the same as before after trying to change
1
8.7
To go back to an earlier, worse state
Gradually return to old habits, often bad ones
To commit the same crime again after being punished
Antonyms
How Severe
Surface Forms
Etymology
To lapse (in behavior) comes from Latin labi 'to slip', the same idea you find in the word relapse. So to lapse is to 'slip back' into an old or less good state.