lapses 1 of 2

noun

plural of lapse
1
as in setbacks
a change in status for the worse usually temporarily the scandal caused the president to suffer a dramatic lapse in popularity

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2
as in mistakes
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 cessations
the stopping of a process or activity wasn't bothered by the lapse of her membership at the health club

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lapses

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of lapse
as in expires
to come to an end the contract will lapse at the end of the year unless we renew

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of lapses
Noun
The lapses allowed the attackers to successfully perform a BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) hijacking to obtain control over IP addresses assigned to Softaculous. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 2 Sep. 2026 Nobody remembers on the Tuesday in March when a supervisor's registration lapses, and that is exactly the version of this that actually happens. — Jp Montoya, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Some organizations believe they’re owed hundreds of thousands to more than a million dollars for unpaid services due to lengthy lapses in Medicaid coverage. — Danielle J. Brown, Baltimore Sun, 1 Sep. 2026 Experts say that occasional, minor lapses—misplacing items, forgetting a word, or losing your train of thought—are a normal part of the aging process. — Danielle Zickl, HEALTH, 31 Aug. 2026 Some boos and whistles could be heard from the crowd, tired of seeing Miami’s defensive lapses. — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026 Here are the lapses in planning and execution Coburn’s reporting uncovered — and some of the consequences of those mistakes. — ProPublica, 26 Aug. 2026 At their worst, defensive secondary lapses and occasional offensive lulls kept opponents in games longer than necessary. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Aug. 2026 Deadly fires, often linked to electrical faults or gas cylinder explosions, are common in India where investigators have frequently pointed to safety lapses and inadequate enforcement of fire regulations as contributing to recurring loss of life. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lapses
  1. setbacks
  2. mistakes
  3. cessations
  4. expires
  5. reversals
  6. errors
  7. halts
  8. stops
Noun
  • Last week, City & State reported payments were late again this year in 3-K and Pre-K, and The New York Times later reported the same setbacks were also straining the new 2-K pilot program, renewing scrutiny of the delays.
    — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026
  • More than four decades ago, after months of setbacks in the war against Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, thousands of young Iranian troops launched a surprise offensive that turned the tide.
    — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of setbacks
Noun
  • The Tar Heels’ ability to overcome some sloppiness — and, yes, take advantage of a slew of TCU mistakes — was a positive intangible sign after Belichick’s brutal debut season and offseason.
    — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Notice that this entire process still leans on AI to catch AI's mistakes.
    — Ted Ladd, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of mistakes
Noun
  • Temporary cessations of hostility, but no permanent closing of the moral and social divide between debtor and creditor, and no giving up on the thought that some lives matter more than others.
    — Henry Freedland, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Definition of cessations
Verb
  • Micron's two-year ban on large-scale buybacks in order to secure CHIPS Act funding expires in December.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Repairs after a factory warranty expires can range from $186 for a wheel alignment to $6,200 for a transmission rebuild.
    — Emily Mercer, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of expires
Noun
  • Expanding daily ranges, larger gaps and increasingly aggressive reversals can show that the market is becoming less stable, even before the main trend has formally broken.
    — Thomas Hartmann, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The remaining two reversals came from the batter’s box, with Cincinnati’s Sal Stewart and Chicago outfielder Seiya Suzuki each winning a challenge.
    — Chantz Martin OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of reversals
Noun
  • Djokovic made 70 unforced errors in a painful performance that ended mere minutes before midnight.
    — Stephen Whyno, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Correct any errors, resolve outstanding issues where possible and make sure the information lenders see is up to date — such as the incorporation date, state of registration, number of employees and annual sales.
    — Carson Brunson, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of errors
Noun
  • The automatic stay halts proceedings but doesn't compel creditors to undo pre-petition filings without operative effect.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
  • Since prolonged production halts can cause permanent damage to oil wells, shutting them down is typically a last resort.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 15 June 2026
Definition of halts
Verb
  • The metalpoint tool sometimes slips or skitters; the fountain pen sometimes stops working—though, deprived of vision, the artist is unaware, and keeps drawing the now-invisible line.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • There’s a tender, surprising moment of reconciliation in the novel’s final pages — the place where story stops.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of stops

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Cite this Entry

“Lapses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lapses. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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