Meaning & use
recidivate
Last updated
To relapse into criminal behavior, especially after having been punished or undergone treatment.
See it in a sentence
Studies show that offenders who receive job training are less likely to recidivate.
Without proper support, many parolees recidivate within the first year of release.
A note on using this word
From Latin 'recidivus,' 'falling back'; the verb underlies the more familiar noun 'recidivism,' both used mainly in criminology.
Words with a similar meaning
relapsereoffend
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Words with an opposite meaning
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