Word
relapse
Phoneticsre·lapse, stress on the second syllable
/ɹiˈɫæps/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a time when someone gets sick again after they seemed to be getting better. It is also used when someone starts a bad habit again after they had stopped.
n. a deterioration in health after a period of improvement; the recurrence of a disease or a return to addictive behaviour.
Examples
“He was doing well, but he suffered a relapse last week.”
“The doctor warned that stopping the medication too early could lead to a sudden relapse of the infection.”
“While the initial recovery was promising, the patient experienced a minor relapse during the third month of treatment, necessitating a more aggressive therapeutic intervention.”
Examples
simple
“He was doing well, but he suffered a relapse last week.”
contextual
“The doctor warned that stopping the medication too early could lead to a sudden relapse of the infection.”
complex
“While the initial recovery was promising, the patient experienced a minor relapse during the third month of treatment, necessitating a more aggressive therapeutic intervention.”
Usage
Often used with the verbs 'suffer', 'have', or 'experience'.
Real-World Examples
“I was able to put aside the walking stick (at least between relapses) and resume typing my long overdue PhD thesis.” “This finding suggests it might be possible to identify people who are at risk of relapsing by screening for BNST activity when someone is given access to alcohol.” Etymology
From Latin relapsus, past participle of relabi (“to slide back, fall back”), from re- (“back”) + labi (“to slip, slide, fall”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/relapse