Definition of lapse - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
errorstemporary failure or mistake
- He apologized for the lapse in judgment.
2.
elapsed durationperiod of time between events
- There was a brief lapse before the next speaker began.
3.
momentary gappause or break in continuity
- There was a lapse in the conversation.
4.
standardsRare decline or fall in standardsRare
- The lapse in quality was noticeable.
5.
ethicsRare moral fall or apostasyRare
- His lapse from grace was unexpected.
6.
legalTECH. termination of a right through neglectTECH.
- The contract ended due to a lapse.
Verb
1.
behaviorfall into a previous or bad habit
- She lapsed into smoking after quitting for years.
2.
deterioratepass gradually into an inferior state or condition
- The building lapsed into disrepair over the years..
3.
beliefsstop following a belief or practice
- He lapsed from his religious practices.
4.
legalTECH. become void or expireTECH.
- The contract lapsed after the deadline passed.
Expressions with lapse
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gradually fall into a worse condition
He lapsed into a deep depression after the news.
temporary decline in religious belief or commitment
His lapse from faith worried his family.
loss of respect, approval, or moral standing
After the scandal, he suffered a lapse from grace.
temporary failure in decision making
His lapse of judgement led to a costly mistake.
temporary mistake in decision-making or reasoning
His lapse of judgment cost him the promotion.
period that passes between two events or moments
The contract expired after a lapse of time.
temporary inability to remember something
She had a memory lapse during the test.
become forgotten or no longer noticed by people
Many old artists lapse into obscurity after their peak.
period that elapses between two events
There was a long time lapse between the two calls.
relating to recording slow changes by taking spaced photos
The time-lapse video showed the flower blooming quickly.
rate of temperature change in rising moist air
Meteorologists study the adiabatic lapse rate for weather predictions.
rate of temperature change with altitude in the atmosphere
The lapse rate indicates how quickly the air cools as one ascends..
Origin of lapse
Latin, lapsus (slip)
Terms with lapse included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
memory lapse
temporarily forget something
temporary lapse
experiencing a short period of confusion or forgetfulness
cognition
temporary mental lapse or confusion
mental lapse
temporary inability to concentrate or think clearly
memory lapse
momentary forgetfulness or confusion
memory
experience brief mental lapse
memory lapse
temporary memory failure or confusion attributed to aging
religion
lapse in religious faith or practice
brief lapse
short time when someone acts strangely or wrongly
morality
moral lapse or failing
mental lapse
short time when someone acts silly or forgetful
mental
experiencing a temporary mental lapse
Examples of lapse in a sentence
A lapse in memory caused the confusion. A lapse of several years occurred between the two events. There was a noticeable lapse in communication. A lapse in memory caused the error. He apologized for the lapse in service. There was a lapse in ethical standards.
A lapse in judgment can be costly. The priest's lapse shocked the congregation. Her lapse into dishonesty was troubling. The insurance policy was void due to a lapse. A lapse in judgment led to the loss of rights. He lapsed into old eating habits during the holidays. After stress, he lapsed into procrastination. The garden lapsed into neglect. The project lapsed into chaos. She lapsed from her dietary restrictions during the holidays. Many lapsed from their commitments after the event. The insurance policy will lapse if not renewed. Her membership lapsed due to non-payment.
View all translations of lapse
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:erreur, retomber, ...
- German:Fehltritt, verfallen, ...
- Italian:lapsus, ricadere, ...
- Spanish:desliz, recaer, ...
- Portuguese:falha, recair em, ...
- Chinese:失误, 重染, ...
- Japanese:誤り, 戻る, ...
- Arabic:هَفْوَة, عَادَ إلى, ...
- Hebrew:טָעוּת, לְהִדַּרְדֵּר, ...
- Russian:ошибка, впадать, ...
- Ukrainian:помилка, знову почати, ...
- Hindi:चूक, फिर से लग जाना, ...
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