lapse

noun

a failure to maintain a higher state

a break or intermission in the occurrence of something

a mistake resulting from inattention

verb

pass by

let slip

go back to bad behavior

drop to a lower level, as in one's morals or standards

end, at least for a long time

pass into a specified state or condition

Roots

laborlaps- · Latin · slip, fall

Words related to lapse

lapsibleadj delapse postlapsarian lapsus intervalometer parapraxisn overslip gaffen erroneousnessn carelessnessn blunderinglyadv unmindfulnessn forgetfulnessn inerrabilityn momentarinessn mistakern flubn heedlessnessn

Synonyms & related words for lapse

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of lapse — including backsliding, elapse, oversight, slipup, relapse, retrogress. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to lapse

Explore words related to lapse — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include lapsible, delapse, postlapsarian, lapsus, intervalometer, parapraxis, overslip, gaffe. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for lapse

Common synonyms for lapse include backsliding, elapse, oversight, slipup, relapse, retrogress, inadvertence, misstep — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does lapse come from?

The word lapse breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root laps-, from Latin labor (“slip, fall”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.