1
: the act or an instance of backsliding, worsening, or subsiding
2
: a recurrence of symptoms of a disease after a period of improvement
relapsed; relapsing
1
: to slip or fall back into a former worse state
relapser
noun
Examples of relapse in a Sentence
Noun
Everyone thought she was well until a sudden relapse sent her back to the hospital.
a drug addict who has had a relapse
a drug addict who has a history of relapse
Verb
If you don't continue your treatment, you could relapse.
Malaria can relapse years after the original infection.
The country soon relapsed into chaos.
She stayed out of trouble for a long time, but then she relapsed into her old ways.
Recent Examples on the Web
Amanda Miller Littlejohn, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
The trial will also explore which strategies are most effective at avoiding relapse.
—Moises Velasquez-Manoff Robert Petkoff Emma Kehlbeck Zak Mouton, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025
Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2025
Despite initial treatment success, most patients relapse or develop resistance to the current therapies.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for relapse
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Noun
The constant connection makes recovery extremely difficult, which is why relapse is so common.
—Amanda Miller Littlejohn, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
The trial will also explore which strategies are most effective at avoiding relapse.
—Moises Velasquez-Manoff Robert Petkoff Emma Kehlbeck Zak Mouton, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025
Verb
But recently, Robert relapsed, and Lisa filed for divorce in August 2023.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2025
Despite initial treatment success, most patients relapse or develop resistance to the current therapies.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for relapse
Cite this Entry
“Relapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/relapse. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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Medical Definition
: a recurrence of illness
especially
: a recurrence of symptoms of a disease after a period of improvement
a relapse after an 18-month remission —M. T. Fosburg et al.
compare recrudescence
M. T. Fosburg et al. relapse
2 of 2 intransitive verb
re·lapse
ri-ˈlaps 
relapsed; relapsing
: to slip or fall back into a former worse state (as of illness) after a change for the better
the patient relapsed twice in four years
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