relapse

/ɹɪˈlæps/

//ɹɪˈlæps// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"relapse" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“relapse” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #19,187 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#19,187
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To fall back again; to slide or turn back into a former state or practice.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

relapse vs relate
71% similar
relapse vs release
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for relapse
PropertyValue
Headwordrelapse
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹɪˈlæps/
Letters7
Frequency rank#19,187
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “relapse” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). relapse lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for relapse is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹɪˈlæps/. Corpus data places it at rank #19,187 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for relapse, with forms such as "erlapse", "realpse", and "relapes". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "relate", "release", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin relapsus, past participle of relabi (“to slide back, fall back”), from re- (“back”) + labi (“to slip, slide, fall”). The correct English form is relapse, spelled R-E-L-A-P-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To fall back again; to slide or turn back into a former state or practice.
  2. 2
    To recur; to worsen, be aggravated (after a period of improvement).
  3. 3
    To return to a vice, especially self-harm or alcoholism, failing to maintain abstinence.
  4. 4
    To slip or slide back physically; to turn back.

Etymology

From Latin relapsus, past participle of relabi (“to slide back, fall back”), from re- (“back”) + labi (“to slip, slide, fall”).

This word in other languages

reincidir(Español)rechuter(Français)zurückfallen(Deutsch)recair(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: erlapse,realpse,relapes,relappse,relapsse,relaspe,rellapse,relpase,rleapse,rrelapse

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of relapse - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

erlapse2realpse2relapes2relappse1relapsse1relaspe2rellapse1relpase2
Edit distance from "relapse"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "relapse"?
"relapse" is spelled R-E-L-A-P-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈlæps/.
What does "relapse" mean?
As a verb, "relapse" means: To fall back again; to slide or turn back into a former state or practice.
What words are commonly confused with "relapse"?
"relapse" is commonly confused with "relate", "release". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "relapse"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "relapse" is /ɹɪˈlæps/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "relapse"?
From Latin relapsus, past participle of relabi (“to slide back, fall back”), from re- (“back”) + labi (“to slip, slide, fall”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “relapse”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-L-A-P-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɹɪˈlæps/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “relate” - see the side-by-side comparison. relapse vs relate
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list