to lapse

Examples

• All

• We talked for a long time before lapsing into silence.

  Academic text (2009)

• The West German constitution allows thirty days to lapse between an election and the convening of a new parliament.

  Academic text (1990)

• Many years may lapse before the injurer's group deems it appropriate to make this mesyar.

  Academic text (1990)

• It is early evening, and the shortening daylight lapses into a dim gloaming.

  Fiction book (2000)

• As the night wore on, the conversation began to lapse into silence.

• The hours seemed to lapse quickly while we enjoyed each other's company.

• Before we knew it, the evening had lapsed into a peaceful stillness.

Synonyms

P

to pass

vsto lapse

761 1.0

To spend time doing something

focuses on time simply slipping by without active use

G

to go by

vsto lapse

268 1.0

For time to pass

is the more formal choice emphasizing unnoticed movement

S

to slip away

vsto lapse

32 3.0

For time to pass without anyone noticing

is general movement that lacks emphasis on slow fading

F

to fly by

vsto lapse

23 3.3

To seem to pass very quickly, especially time

is general movement without that strong speed impression

E

to elapse

vsto lapse

19 5.1

Time passes without being noticed

is a general moving on that can be noticed or not

S

to slip by

vsto lapse

11 3.8

To go past quickly without anyone noticing, as with time or chances

is ordinary movement not necessarily quick or unnoticed

S

to slide by

vsto lapse

2 4.2

Time passes smoothly without you noticing

is broader movement that does not imply smoothness

G

to glide by

vsto lapse

1 3.9

Time that passes quickly without you noticing

is general movement that may lack quick smooth quality

Antonyms

R

to remain

∞ 1.0

To stay in the same place or state and not change

P

pause

192 1.0

A short stop in speaking or activity

How Fast

to fly by

23 3.3

to slip by

11 3.8

to lapse

1 4.0

to pass

761 1.0

to creep

155 2.5

Surface Forms

Etymology