1
as in setback
a change in status for the worse usually temporarily
the scandal caused the president to suffer a dramatic lapse in popularity
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mistake
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
his slip of the tongue about the mayor's name was an unfortunate lapse
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3
as in cessation
the stopping of a process or activity
wasn't bothered by the lapse of her membership at the health club
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as in to expire
to come to an end
the contract will lapse at the end of the year unless we renew
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lapse
Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2026
In late 2025, a member of Khan's campaign team bought the domain name for Logsdon's website, following a lapse in her campaign's payments for the domain.
—Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 6 Jan. 2026
Michael Waters, New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the Haiti HOPE-HELP programs lapsed in September without concrete plans for a renewal (despite some efforts from Congress to spur a speedy reinstatement for both trade preference programs).
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lapse
Noun
Now comes the hard part of waiting for a trial that is not expected to happen for a very long time; in Hernández’s case, the lapse between his indictment and trial took roughly two years.
—Verb
But the adaptation stalled, and the option lapsed.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for lapse
Noun
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Despite the joy, the project wasn’t without setbacks.—
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The city’s housing crisis began nearly a century ago during the Great Depression (more than 35 years before the Landmarks Law was even enacted), and has experienced a series of improvements and setbacks with the ebbs and flows of our developing and unpredictable economy.—
Noun
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One of the biggest mistakes people make with space heaters is using an extension cord.—
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Jake returns to 2011 with the intention of going back to 1960 and doing it all over again, this time without making the mistakes that led to Sadie's death.—
Noun
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University of Oxford researchers assessed a range of clinical trials as well as Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane and Web of Science databases, with a focus on what happened after cessation of treatment regarding adults who were overweight or obese.—
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Most of the complexes also include unusual amenities like on-site child care, smoking cessation classes, areas for on-site food cultivation, English classes, advice for job searches and help securing a high school diploma.—
Verb
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Kick your tattered bath mat to the curb, and grab the Yimobra Memory Foam Bath Rug before the deal expires.—
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January was set to host a free-agent frenzy, with most league veterans aligning their contracts to expire in advance of the new CBA.—
Noun
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To the contrary, though the film is frequently funny, Brewer takes their ambitions and reversals seriously.—
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State officials said Thursday that the FBI would be solely in charge of Wednesday's deadly encounter, in a reversal from earlier beliefs that the probe would be a dual federal-state effort.—
Noun
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On the ground, first responders described how Watch Duty’s real-time wildfire mapping and alert app has become indispensable when fast-moving fires leave little room for hesitation or error.—
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This story has been updated to correct an error.—
Noun
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Advocates are also calling on Congress to intervene to put a halt to ICE arrests.—
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The ceasefire began with a halt in fighting and the release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for thousands of Palestinians held by Israel.—
Verb
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Minnesota lawmakers tried to end ICE contracts with counties a few years ago.—
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Four astronauts aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule splashed down early Thursday in the Pacific Ocean, ending a weeklong effort to get an unnamed crew member home to evaluate a medical issue.—
Cite this Entry
“Lapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lapse. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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