1. to return to bad habits or behaviors after a period of improvement
Usage: often used in religious or moral contexts

Examples

• After months of sobriety, he began to backslide into his old drinking habits.
• The reformed criminal started to backslide when he returned to his old neighborhood.
• She worried that missing church would cause her to backslide spiritually.
• The company’s environmental efforts began to backslide under new management.
• Don’t let one mistake cause you to backslide completely.
• The patient backslid into depression after stopping his medication.