v. 1 get back, backslide, fall back, lapse, slip back, regress, retrogress, recidivate; go back, return, retreat, revert Lottie has relapsed into her bad habits 2 decline, deteriorate, weaken, degenerate, fail, fade, sink, sicken, worsen, get or become worse Just when we thought he was improving, he relapsed into a coma and died
n. 3 backsliding, falling or going back, lapse, lapsing, return, returning, reversion, reverting, regression, regressing, retrogression, retrogressing, recidivism, apostasy The church's main concern was a relapse into idolatry 4 decline, deterioration, weakening, degeneration, failing, failure, fading, sinking, worsening Barry was getting better but has now suffered a relapse