backslide C2 Topic:Actions & Processes US /ˈbækˌslaɪd/ UK /ˌbækˈslaɪd/ See IPA manual Freq #71809 Meanings 1 verb to return to a worse condition, habit, or standard after improving A reform can backslide when its safeguards are no longer enforced. 2 noun a return to a worse state or former bad behavior The committee treated the exception as a serious backslide from its ethical standard. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 verb · to return to a worse... regressrelapselapse 2 noun · a return to a worse state... regressionrelapsereversion More revert ↔ Opposites improveadvancereform Word family Forms backsliding Derived forms backsliderbacksliding Related forms regressionrelapse Etymology A compound of back + slide. Its literal image of slipping backward developed into moral, religious, political, and institutional senses of reverting to a worse state. Topics Actions & Processes External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # backslide **Type:** Word **Level:** C2 **Part of speech:** verb, noun **IPA (US):** /ˈbækˌslaɪd/ **IPA (UK):** /ˌbækˈslaɪd/ **Frequency rank:** 71809 ## Meanings 1. to return to a worse condition, habit, or standard after improving 2. a return to a worse state or former bad behavior ## Examples - A reform can backslide when its safeguards are no longer enforced. - The committee treated the exception as a serious backslide from its ethical standard. ## Synonyms - regress - relapse - lapse - revert ## Antonyms - improve - advance - reform ## Derived Forms - backslider - backsliding ## Related Forms - regression - relapse ## Etymology A compound of back + slide. Its literal image of slipping backward developed into moral, religious, political, and institutional senses of reverting to a worse state. ## Topics - Actions & Processes markdown