backslides 1 of 2

noun

plural of backslide
as in relapses

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

backslides

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of backslide
as in lapses

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for backslides
  1. relapses
  2. lapses
  3. regresses
  4. reverts
  5. returns
Noun
  • Left untreated, a Cyclospora infection can persist for weeks or even months, cycling through periods of apparent improvement followed by relapses.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026
  • Without treatment, symptoms can continue for a month or longer, and many people experience relapses where symptoms disappear before returning.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 21 July 2026
Definition of relapses
Verb
  • Is gas still moving through the Tabriz-Ankara corridor at material volumes in mid-July, after the contract lapses?
    — Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • That could — when the policy lapses ― expose taxpayers to additional risk.
    — Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of lapses
Verb
  • The immortal being who’d called himself a god just moments prior regresses into his stuttering, childhood self.
    — Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026
  • Anagen is followed by a brief transitional phase called catagen, during which the follicle regresses and severs its connection to its blood supply.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of regresses
Verb
  • The school is owned by the city of Pembroke Pines, and a lease says the property reverts back to the city in 2037.
    — Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 26 July 2026
  • As light can selectively target the fluid, scientists were able to print microscopic conductive patterns that completely vanish once exposed to open air, which reverts the gel back into non-conductive liquid clusters.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 June 2026
Definition of reverts
Verb
  • Senior forward Madelyn Gora, who scored 10 goals, leads an offense that returns nearly all of its production, and senior Sloane Zygmunt bolsters the defense.
    — Noah Poser, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Replacing goal-scoring UConn only returns two players, Alessio and captain Max Gummesson, a defensive midfielder, who scored multiple goals in 2025.
    — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of returns
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

backsliders
backslides
backsliding
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Backslides.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backslides. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on backslides

Nglish: Translation of backslides for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All