[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/relapse/)

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# relapse

noun (a relapse, relapses); verb (relapse, relapses, relapsed, relapsing)

«relapse» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Becoming ill again after seeming to get better. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/relapse/#m1)
2. Going back to a bad habit or behaviour after stopping it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/relapse/#m2)
3. verb To fall back into illness or a bad state. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/relapse/#m3)

### In the lessons

In adult life and health: a patient may «have a relapse». In ethics and habits: someone trying to stop smoking may relapse. In school stories, a child may relapse into old naughty ways. Phrases: «suffer a relapse», «relapse into».

### Examples

- Grandpa was getting better but then had a relapse. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/relapse/#x1)
- After a good week, he relapsed into his old habit of chewing pencils. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/relapse/#x2)
- The doctor warned her to rest to avoid a relapse. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/relapse/#x3)
- She relapsed into silence. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/relapse/#x4)
- A relapse can happen, so keep trying. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/relapse/#x5)
- He stayed away from sweets for a month before a small relapse. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/relapse/#x6)
- Whenever the old man had occasion to reprimand the little boy--and the occasions were frequent--he would relapse into a dignified but stubborn silence. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/relapse/#x7)

### Note

Same spelling for noun and verb; stress: re-LAPSE (verb), RE-lapse or re-LAPSE (noun). A relapse does not mean failure forever; many people try again and succeed.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «relapse» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/relapse/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«relapse» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/relapse.html) on Mova free.