backslide

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
18
Words With Friends
21
Letters
9

Definition of backslide

5 senses · 2 parts of speech · etymology included

verb

  1. (intransitive)To regress; to slip backwards or revert to a previous, worse state.
    “He felt better for a little while, before his condition started to backslide.”
    “[…] Monna Brigida, who had backslided into false hair in Romola's absence, but now drew it off again and declared she would not mind being gray, if her dear child would stay with her.”
    “Despite backsliding in various parts of the globe, there's a very clear trend towards the decentralisation of governments.”
See all 5 definitions

verb

  1. (intransitive)To regress; to slip backwards or revert to a previous, worse state.
    “He felt better for a little while, before his condition started to backslide.”
    “[…] Monna Brigida, who had backslided into false hair in Romola's absence, but now drew it off again and declared she would not mind being gray, if her dear child would stay with her.”
    “Despite backsliding in various parts of the globe, there's a very clear trend towards the decentralisation of governments.”
  2. (transitive)To shirk responsibility; to renege on one's obligations or commitments.
    “Rich countries are backsliding on their commitment to agree to new WTO measures to help people in poor countries gain access to affordable medicines.”
  3. To revert back into a life of sin after being saved.

noun

  1. A backward regression; a reverting back to a worse state.
  2. A dance move in which the feet are alternately slid back and the heels lifted, giving the illusion of walking forwards while actually moving backwards.

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

From back + slide.

Words you can make from backslide

200+ playable · top: BACKSIDE (17 pts)

Best play backside 17 points

8-letter words

3 words

7-letter words

11 words

6-letter words

39 words

5-letter words

102 words

4-letter words

44 words

Hooks

2 extensions · 2 back

A single letter you can add to backslide to make another valid word.

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