Definition

1. Noun:

   • A return to a previous, usually worse, state or condition: A "relapse" refers to the act of falling back into an earlier, often undesirable, situation, especially after a period of improvement.
   • A recurrence of a disease or illness after partial recovery: In medicine, a "relapse" specifically means the return of symptoms or the worsening of a disease that had seemed to be getting better.

2. Verb:

   • To fall back into a previous, usually worse, state or condition: To "relapse" means to return to a former, often negative, state, behavior, or habit after having stopped or improved.
   • To deteriorate in health after a period of improvement: To "relapse" means for an illness or medical condition to worsen again.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • After six months of sobriety, he suffered a relapse and started drinking again.
  • The patient's recovery was going well, but then she had a relapse of her illness.

• Verb:

  • He managed to quit smoking for a year but recently relapsed.
  • Her health improved for a while, but then she relapsed and was readmitted to the hospital.

Advanced Usage

• "to relapse into": This common collocation specifies the state or behavior one returns to.
  • After the stressful news, she relapsed into a deep depression.
  • The peace talks failed, and the region relapsed into violence.

Variants and Related Words

• Relapsing (present participle/gerund): The act of falling back.

  • The cycle of recovering and relapsing is common in addiction treatment.

• Relapser (noun): A person who relapses.

  • The support group is for both newcomers and relapsers.

Synonyms

• Noun: Recurrence, setback, reversion, deterioration.
• Verb: Revert, regress, backslide, recidivate (formal, especially for criminal behavior), lapse.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions

• Relapse into: (As shown in Advanced Usage) To fall back into a specific state or pattern of behavior.
  • He promised to stay calm but soon relapsed into his old angry habits.

Related Idioms/Phrases

• "A relapse is part of the recovery process": A common saying in medical and therapeutic contexts, acknowledging that setbacks can happen on the path to getting better.
  • Don't be too hard on yourself. Remember, sometimes a relapse is part of the recovery process.

Noun

1. a failure to maintain a higher state

Verb

1. go back to bad behavior
   • Those who recidivate are often minor criminals
2. deteriorate in health
   • he relapsed