relapse
gb/ɹilˈæps/ us/ɹilˈæps/
B2
Inglés
Acepciones
0 acepciones
Sustantivo
B2
event
1
return to addiction after quitting
When someone starts an addiction again after stopping.
Patrón de uso:
a relapse (into [substance/behavior]); a relapse after [time period]
Error frecuente:
Avoid saying "a relapse back"; "relapse" already means returning.
Sinónimos
backslide (Often suggests returning to a bad habit after progress.)
|
return to using (More explicit and informal; common in addiction contexts.)
Antónimos
recovery (Ongoing improvement and staying free of the addiction.)
|
sobriety (State of not using alcohol/drugs.)
Colocaciones
have a relapse
|suffer a relapse
|a relapse into drinking
|a relapse into drug use
|relapse prevention
|risk of relapse
|relapse triggers
|a relapse episode
|relapse rates
|prevent relapse
Temas
health
|addiction
|mental_health
Ejemplos
- After six months of sobriety, he had a relapse and started drinking again.
- Her therapist helped her make a plan to reduce the risk of relapse.
- The program focuses on relapse prevention and long-term support.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- He had a relapse last week.
- She is afraid of relapse.
Verbo
B2
action
2
start using again after quitting
To start an addiction again after stopping.
Patrón de uso:
[someone] relapses (into [substance/behavior]); [someone] relapses after [time period]
Error frecuente:
Use "relapse" (not "relapse back"). Use "relapse into" for the specific behavior: "relapse into drinking."
Sinónimos
backslide (More general; can sound moralizing or judgmental in some contexts.)
Antónimos
recover (To return to health or stable improvement rather than reverting.)
|
stay sober (Specifically not returning to alcohol/drug use.)
Colocaciones
relapse into drinking
|relapse into drug use
|relapse into gambling
|relapse after treatment
|relapse after rehab
|relapse during recovery
|relapse quickly
|relapse again
|relapse under stress
|relapse following a trigger
Temas
health
|addiction
|mental_health
Ejemplos
- Many people relapse at least once before they stop for good.
- He relapsed into drug use after losing his job.
- She worried she might relapse if she went back to the same group of friends.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- He relapsed into drinking.
- She does not want to relapse.
Sustantivo
technical
C1
event
3
return of illness after improvement
When an illness comes back after getting better.
Patrón de uso:
a relapse of [disease]; a relapse in [symptoms]
Error frecuente:
Do not confuse with "collapse" (suddenly fall down). A relapse is a return of symptoms.
Sinónimos
return (General word; less precise than 'relapse' in medical contexts.)
|
recurrence (More formal/medical; emphasizes the disease coming back.)
Antónimos
remission (A period when symptoms are reduced or absent.)
|
recovery (Improvement rather than a return of illness.)
Colocaciones
a relapse of cancer
|a relapse of depression
|a relapse in symptoms
|a relapse after treatment
|in remission and then relapse
|a sudden relapse
|a relapse occurs
|relapse risk
|relapse rates
|signs of relapse
Temas
health
|medicine
Ejemplos
- The doctor warned that there is a chance of relapse after the course of antibiotics.
- After a year in remission, she experienced a relapse of her symptoms.
- They adjusted the medication to reduce the risk of relapse.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- He had a relapse after the treatment.
- Her illness went away, but it came back in a relapse.
Verbo
technical
C1
process
4
become ill again after improvement
To get sick again after getting better.
Patrón de uso:
[someone] relapses; [symptoms/disease] relapse(s)
Error frecuente:
Use "relapse" for returning symptoms; use "get worse" for gradual worsening without a clear recovery period.
Sinónimos
return (Less specific; does not clearly imply prior improvement.)
|
recur (More formal; often used for symptoms or conditions.)
Antónimos
recover (To improve rather than have symptoms return.)
|
go into remission (To enter a period with reduced/absent symptoms.)
Colocaciones
relapse after surgery
|relapse after treatment
|relapse within weeks
|relapse with symptoms
|relapse badly
|relapse suddenly
|patients relapse
|symptoms relapse
|the disease relapsed
|relapse repeatedly
Temas
health
|medicine
Ejemplos
- If you stop the medication too soon, the infection may relapse.
- He improved for a few days and then relapsed with a high fever.
- Some patients relapse within the first year after treatment.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- She got better but then relapsed.
- The symptoms relapsed after a week.
Verbo
C1
action
5
fall back into old bad habits
To go back to a bad habit after improving.
Patrón de uso:
[someone/something] relapses (into [bad habit/state])
Error frecuente:
This sense is broader than addiction/health but still often uses "into" (e.g., "relapse into old habits").
Sinónimos
slip back (More informal and less clinical.)
|
revert (More formal; focuses on returning to an earlier state.)
Antónimos
improve (To get better rather than return to a worse state.)
|
progress (Forward movement instead of going back.)
Colocaciones
relapse into old habits
|relapse into violence
|relapse into pessimism
|relapse into debt
|relapse into chaos
|relapse into silence
|relapse into a pattern
|relapse under pressure
|relapse after progress
|relapse again
Temas
daily_life
|habits
|emotions
Ejemplos
- After a few productive weeks, he relapsed into procrastination.
- The country seemed to relapse into instability after the election.
- She promised herself she wouldn’t relapse into negative self-talk.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- I relapsed into my old habits.
- He relapsed into procrastination.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
relapse
AFI
GB/ɹilˈæps/
US/ɹilˈæps/
Sílabas y acento
re - lapse (2 sílabas)
Stress on 2nd syllable (lapse)
Formas de la palabra
Noun
- Base: relapse
- Plural: relapses
Verb
- Base: relapse
- 3rd Person Singular: relapses
- Present Participle: relapsing
- Past: relapsed
Expresiones
have a relapse
1/hˈæv ə ɹilˈæps/
fixed phrase
experience a relapse
To get worse again after getting better.
Ejemplos
- She had a relapse and needed to restart treatment.
- He had a relapse after three months of sobriety.
- If you have a relapse, contact your doctor right away.
relapse into [something]
1/ɹilˈæps ˈɪntu sˈʌmθɪŋ/
phrasal verb
return to a bad state
To go back to a bad habit or problem.
Ejemplos
- He relapsed into drinking after a stressful week at work.
- Without support, she quickly relapsed into her old routine.
- The talks broke down, and the region relapsed into violence.
relapse prevention
1/ɹilˈæps pɹivˈɛnʃən/
fixed phrase
strategies to avoid relapse
Plans and skills to stop relapse.
Ejemplos
- The course teaches relapse prevention skills for high-risk situations.
- Relapse prevention often includes therapy, routines, and social support.
- They created a relapse prevention plan before leaving rehab.
relapse rate
1/ɹilˈæps ɹˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
technical
frequency of relapses in a group
How often relapse happens in a group.
Ejemplos
- The new treatment reduced the relapse rate by nearly 20%.
- Researchers tracked relapse rates among patients for two years.
- Relapse rate was higher in the group that stopped medication early.
suffer a relapse
1/sˈʌfɚ ə ɹilˈæps/
fixed phrase
formal
relapse (more formal phrasing)
To have a relapse (formal).
Ejemplos
- He suffered a relapse and was admitted to the hospital.
- Several patients suffered relapses during the winter.
- The report notes that she suffered a relapse shortly after discharge.