A failure to maintain a higher state.

synonyms: lapse, lapsing, relapse, relapsing, reversion, reverting.

Roget 988: impiety; sin etc. 945; irreverence; profaneness etc. adj.; profanity, profanation; blasphemy, desecration, sacrilege; scoffing etc. v.. [feigned piety] hypocrisy etc. (falsehood) 544; pietism, cant, pious fraud; lip devotion, lip service, lip reverence; misdevotion^†, formalism, austerity; sanctimony, sanctimoniousness etc. adj.; pharisaism, precisianism^†; sabbatism^†, sabbatarianism^†; odium theologicum [Lat.], sacerdotalism^†; bigotry etc. (obstinacy) 606, (prejudice) 481; blue laws.    hardening, backsliding, declension, perversion, reprobation.    sinner etc. 949; scoffer, blasphemer; sacrilegist^†; sabbath breaker; worldling; hypocrite etc. (dissembler) 548; Tartufe^†, Mawworm^†.    bigot; saint [Iron.]; Pharisee; sabbatarian^†, formalist, methodist, puritan, pietist^†, precisian^†, religionist, devotee; ranter, fanatic, juramentado^†.    the wicked, the evil, the unjust, the reprobate; sons of men, sons of Belial, the wicked one; children of darkness.    ... show more

Roget 283: regress, regression; retrocession^†, retrogression, retrograduation^†, retroaction; reculade^†; retreat, withdrawal, retirement, remigration^†; recession etc. (motion from) 287; recess; crab-like motion.    refluence^†, reflux; backwater, regurgitation, ebb, return; resilience reflection, reflexion [Brit.] (recoil) 277; flip-flop, volte-face [Fr.].    counter motion, retrograde motion, backward movement, motion in reverse, counter movement, counter march; veering, tergiversation, recidivation^†, backsliding, fall; deterioration etc. 659; recidivism, recidivity^†.    reversal, relapse, turning point etc. (reversion) 145.    ... show more

Roget 607: change of mind, change of intention, change of purpose; afterthought.    tergiversation, recantation; palinode, palinody^†; renunciation; abjuration^†, abjurement; defection etc. (relinquishment) 624; going over etc. v.; apostasy; retraction, retractation^†; withdrawal; disavowal etc. (negation) 536; revocation, revokement^†; reversal; repentance etc. 950; redintegratio amoris [Lat.].    coquetry; vacillation etc. 605; backsliding; volte-face [Fr.].    turn coat, turn tippet^†; rat, apostate, renegade; convert, pervert; proselyte, deserter; backslider; blackleg, crawfish [U.S.], scab [Slang], mugwump [U.S.], recidivist.    time server, time pleaser^†; timist^†, Vicar of Bray, trimmer, ambidexter^†; weathercock etc. (changeable) 149; Janus.    ... show more

Roget 661: relapse, lapse; falling back etc. v.; retrogradation etc. (retrogression) 283^†; deterioration etc. 659.    [Return to, or recurrence of a bad state] backsliding, recidivation^†; recidivism, recidivity^†; recrudescence.    ... show more

Roget 945: vice; evil-doing, evil courses; wrongdoing; wickedness, viciousness etc. adj.; iniquity, peccability^†, demerit; sin, Adam^†; old Adam^†, offending Adam^†.    immorality, impropriety, indecorum, scandal, laxity, looseness of morals; enphagy^†, dophagy^†, exophagy^†; want of principle, want of ballast; obliquity, backsliding, infamy, demoralization, pravity^†, depravity, pollution; hardness of heart; brutality etc. (malevolence) 907; corruption etc. (debasement) 659; knavery etc. (improbity) 940^†; profligacy; flagrancy, atrocity; cannibalism; lesbianism, Sadism.    infirmity; weakness etc. adj.; weakness of the flesh, frailty, imperfection; error; weak side; foible; failing, failure; crying sin, besetting sin; defect, deficiency; cloven foot.    lowest dregs of vice, sink of iniquity, Alsatian den^†; gusto picaresco [It].    fault, crime; criminality etc. (guilt) 947.    sinner etc. 949.    [Resorts] brothel etc. 961; gambling house etc. 621; joint [Slang], opium den, shooting gallery, crack house.    ... show more

Roget 984: heterodoxy; error etc. 495; false doctrine, heresy, schism; schismaticism^†, schismaticalness; recusancy, backsliding, apostasy; atheism etc. (irreligion) 989^†.    bigotry etc. (obstinacy) 606; fanaticism, iconoclasm; hyperorthodoxy^†, precisianism^†, bibliolatry^†, sabbatarianism^†, puritanism; anthropomorphism; idolatry etc. 991; superstition etc. (credulity) 486; dissent etc. 489.    sectarism^†, sectarianism; noncomformity^†; secularism; syncretism^†.    [religious sects.] protestantism, Arianism^†, Adventism, Jansenism, Stundism^†, Erastianism^†, Calvinism, quakerism^†, methodism, anabaptism^†, Puseyism, tractarianism^†, ritualism, Origenism, Sabellianism, Socinianism^†, Deism, Theism, materialism, positivism, latitudinarianism etc. High Church, Low Church, Broad Church, Free Church; ultramontanism^†; papism, papistry; monkery^†; papacy; Anglicanism, Catholicism, Romanism; popery, Scarlet Lady, Church of Rome, Greek Church.    paganism, heathenism, ethicism^†; mythology; polytheism, ditheism^†, tritheism^†; dualism; heathendom^†.    Judaism, Gentilism^†, Islamism, Islam, Mohammedanism, Babism^†, Sufiism, Neoplatonism, Turcism^†, Brahminism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sabianism, Gnosticism, Hylotheism^†, Mormonism; Christian Science.    heretic, apostate, antichrist^†; pagan, heathen; painim^†, paynim^†; giaour^†; gentile; pantheist, polytheist; idolator.    schismatic; sectary, sectarian, sectarist^†; seceder, separatist, recusant, dissenter; nonconformist, nonjuror^†.    bigot etc. (obstinacy) 606; fanatic, abdal^†, iconoclast.    latitudinarian, Deist, Theist, Unitarian; positivist, materialist; Homoiousian^†, Homoousian^†, limitarian^†, theosophist, ubiquitarian^†; skeptic etc. 989.    Protestant; Huguenot; orthodox dissenter, Congregationalist, Independent; Episcopalian, Presbyterian; Lutheran, Calvinist, Methodist, Wesleyan; Ana^†, Baptist; Mormon, Latter-day Saint^†, Irvingite, Sandemanian, Glassite, Erastian; Sublapsarian, Supralapsarian^†; Gentoo, Antinomian^†, Swedenborgian^†; Adventist^†, Bible Christian, Bryanite, Brownian, Christian Scientist, Dunker, Ebionite, Eusebian; Faith Curer^†, Curist^†; Familist^†, Jovinianist, Libadist^†, Quaker, Restitutionist^†, Shaker, Stundist, Tunker &c.; ultramontane; Anglican^†, Oxford School; tractarian^†, Puseyite, ritualist; Puritan.    Catholic, Roman, Catholic, Romanist, papist.    Jew, Hebrew, Rabbinist, Rabbist^†, Sadducee; Babist^†, Motazilite; Mohammedan, Mussulman, Moslem, Shiah, Sunni, Wahabi, Osmanli.    Brahmin^†, Brahman^†; Parsee, Sufi, Buddhist; Magi, Gymnosophist^†, fire worshiper, Sabian, Gnostic, Rosicrucian etc. ... show more

Dutch: hapering