# relapse

/ɹiˈɫæps/ (US) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/relapse
Updated: 2026-05-06

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Usage notes

- Often used with the verbs 'suffer', 'have', or 'experience'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.