EN

Synonyms for lapse

67 synonyms
6 meanings

noun
verb

Most common

mistake error decline slip pause interruption

Synonyms by meaning

Noun

1. Error — A temporary failure; a slip

error, mistake, slip, decline, fault, slip-up, trip, blunder, mis-step, indiscretion, failure, slide, goof, failing, gaffe, blooper, flow, shortcoming, misadventure, default, stumble, faux pas

2. Pause — A pause in continuity

pause, interruption, gap, suspension, hiatus, cessation formal, respite, moratorium, recess, caesura, interval, interregnum, intermission, breather, break slang dated, halt dated

3. Reversion

reversion, backsliding, apostasy, relapsing dated

4. Interim — an interval of time between events

between-time, interim

Other

oversight, fall-back, progress, flux, devolution

Verb

1. Elapse

elapse, pass, fall, slip by, pass away, slip away, subside, go by, go wrong, go along, fade

2. Relapse

relapse, regress, retrogress, recidivate

Other

backslide, sink, err

Definitions

n. 1
A temporary failure; a slip.
It was a regrettable lapse by a person of otherwise exemplary character.
n. 2
A pause in continuity.
v. 1
To fall away gradually; to subside.
v. 2
To fall into error or heresy.

Forms

Plural: lapses → errors, mistakes, slips, declines…
Past participle: lapsed
e.g. lapsed → elapsed, passed, fallen, subsided…

Example sentences

mistake If that man makes one more mistake, I'll fire him.
error He looked over the text, but overlooked the error.
decline I had to decline the invitation because I was ill.
slip She was walking slowly, so that she wouldn't slip.
pause In Lojban, the dot "." is a pause or glottal stop.
interruption Discussion resumed after a short interruption.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
lapse		falling
mistake		rising
error		steady
decline		steady
slip		steady
pause		rising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters: gap¹, err¹
4 letters: fall¹, pass¹, trip¹, flow¹, slip¹, sink¹, halt¹, fade¹, flux¹, goof¹
5 letters: break¹, fault¹, error², slide¹, pause¹, gaffe¹
6 letters: hiatus³, recess², elapse²
7 letters: mistake², failure², decline², failing², default², interim³, stumble², relapse², respite², blunder², subside², regress², blooper², caesura
8 letters: progress², interval³, breather², apostasy
9 letters: oversight³, cessation³, reversion³, relapsing³, backslide²
10 letters: suspension³, moratorium⁵, devolution⁴, retrogress, recidivate
11 letters: shortcoming³, interregnum⁴, backsliding³
12 letters: interruption⁴, intermission⁴, indiscretion⁴, misadventure⁴

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (error² = 2 syllables).