backslide
UK: ˈbækslaɪd | US: ˈbækslaɪd
vi. to relapse into bad habits, vices, or undesirable behavior
vi. to revert to a worse condition or earlier state
The word "backslide" combines "back" (Old English bæc, meaning "backward direction") and "slide" (Old English slīdan, meaning "to glide or move smoothly"). It originally described a physical slipping backward but evolved metaphorically to describe moral or behavioral regression, particularly in religious contexts (e.g., abandoning faith). The logic mirrors the imagery of losing progress by slipping back down a slope.
After months of sobriety, he began to backslide into old drinking habits.
The team’s performance backslid due to lack of practice.
She worried her strict diet would cause her to backslide into unhealthy eating.
Economic reforms stalled, and the country backslid into inflation.
Without consistent effort, it’s easy to backslide in language learning.