Laps vs. Lapse — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 3, 2024
Laps refer to completing circuits around a track or path, typically in sports; lapse denotes a temporary failure or expiration, often in contexts of time or judgment.
Difference Between Laps and Lapse
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Laps are commonly associated with sports, particularly in racing or swimming, where they signify the completion of a circuit or loop around a track or pool. On the other hand, lapse is used to describe a temporary failure or a decline in concentration, or the expiration of something, such as a period of time or a warranty.
Laps emphasize physical activity and are quantifiable, marking progress or distance covered. Conversely, lapse often carries a negative connotation, indicating a drop in standards, a gap in memory, or the ending of a timeframe.
In athletics, the number of laps can determine the length of a race, while a lapse in judgment or attention could lead to mistakes or accidents.
Laps are deliberate and measured, whereas a lapse can be seen as an unintentional error or oversight.
Laps are integral to the structure of many competitive events, while a lapse can affect performance or legal statuses, such as in the case of a lapsed license.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Completing circuits around a track or path
A temporary failure or expiration
Usage Contexts
Sports, racing, swimming
Time, judgment, contracts
Connotation
Activity, measurement
Decline, expiration
Focus
Progress and distance
Error or oversight
Example Usage
Completing five laps in a swimming pool
A lapse in concentration during a lecture
Compare with Definitions
Laps
To overtake someone in a race.
The leading driver lapped slower cars multiple times.
Lapse
A temporary failure of memory.
He experienced a brief lapse in memory that puzzled his doctors.
Laps
A measurement of progress in sports.
The lap timer helps athletes improve their performance.
Lapse
A decline in concentration or performance.
There was a noticeable lapse in her attention during the meeting.
Laps
Completing a circuit or round in a race.
She ran ten laps around the track during practice.
Lapse
The expiration of a period of time.
The membership will lapse if not renewed by the end of the month.
Laps
In swimming, completing one length of the pool.
He swam 20 laps every morning for exercise.
Lapse
To become invalid after a period.
His driver’s license lapsed last week.
Laps
Laps is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France.
Lapse
A break or pause in continuity.
A lapse in his resume raised questions during the interview.
Laps
The front area from the waist to the knees of a seated person.
Lapse
A brief or temporary failure of concentration, memory, or judgement
A lapse of concentration in the second set cost her the match
Laps
The portion of a garment that covers the lap.
Lapse
An interval or passage of time
There was a considerable lapse of time between the two events
Laps
A hanging or flaplike part, especially of a garment.
Lapse
(of a right, privilege, or agreement) become invalid because it is not used, claimed, or renewed; expire
He let his membership of CND lapse
Laps
An area of responsibility, interest, or control
An opportunity that dropped in his lap.
Lapse
Pass gradually into (an inferior state or condition)
The country has lapsed into chaos
Laps
A part that overlaps.
Lapse
To fall from a previous level or standard, as of accomplishment, quality, or conduct
Lapse into bad habits.
A team that lapsed into mediocrity halfway through the season.
Laps
The amount by which one part overlaps another.
Lapse
To deviate from a prescribed or accepted way
Lapse into heresy.
Laps
One complete round or circuit, especially of a racetrack.
Lapse
To pass gradually or smoothly; slip
Lapse into reverie.
Laps
One complete length of a straight course, as of a swimming pool.
Lapse
To come to an end, especially gradually or temporarily
He realized that his attention had lapsed and he hadn't heard the assignment.
Laps
A segment or stage, as of a trip.
Lapse
To be no longer valid or active; expire
She allowed her membership to lapse after the first year.
Laps
A length, as of rope, required to make one complete turn around something.
Lapse
(Law) To cease to be available as a result of expiration, disuse, or impossibility. Used of a right or privilege.
Laps
The act of lapping or encircling.
Lapse
To go by; elapse
Years had lapsed since we last met.
Laps
A continuous band or layer of cotton, flax, or other fiber.
Lapse
To allow to lapse.
Laps
A wheel, disk, or slab of leather or metal, either stationary or rotating, used for polishing and smoothing.
Lapse
A usually minor or temporary failure; a slip
A lapse of memory.
A lapse in judgment.
Laps
The act or an instance of lapping.
Lapse
A deterioration or decline
A lapse into barbarism.
Laps
The amount taken in by lapping.
Lapse
A moral fall
A lapse from grace.
Laps
The sound of lapping.
Lapse
A break in continuity; a pause
A lapse in the conversation.
Laps
A watery food or drink.
Lapse
A period of time; an interval
A lapse of several years between the two revolutions.
Laps
To place or lay (something) so as to overlap another
Lapped the roof tiles so that water would run off.
Lapse
(Law) The termination of a right or privilege as a result of expiration, disuse, or impossibility.
Laps
To lie partly over or on
Each shingle lapping the next.
Shadows that lapped the wall.
Lapse
A temporary failure; a slip.
Memory lapse
Lapse of judgment
Lapse in security
Lapse in concentration
Laps
To fold (something) over onto itself
A cloth edge that had been lapped and sewn to make a hem.
Lapse
A decline or fall in standards.
Laps
To wrap or wind around (something); encircle.
Lapse
A pause in continuity.
Laps
To envelop in something; swathe
Models who were lapped in expensive furs.
Lapse
An interval of time between events.
Laps
To join (pieces, as of wood) by means of a scarf or lap joint.
Lapse
A termination of a right etc., through disuse or neglect.
Laps
(Sports) To get ahead of (an opponent) in a race by one or more complete circuits of the course, as in running, or by two or more lengths of a pool in swimming.
Lapse
(meteorology) A marked decrease in air temperature with increasing altitude because the ground is warmer than the surrounding air.
Laps
To convert (cotton or other fibers) into a sheet or layer.
Lapse
(legal) A common-law rule that if the person to whom property is willed were to die before the testator, then the gift would be ineffective.
Laps
To polish (a surface) until smooth.
Lapse
(theology) A fall or apostasy.
Laps
To hone (two mating parts) against each other until closely fitted.
Lapse
(intransitive) To fall away gradually; to subside.
Laps
To lie partly on or over something; overlap.
Lapse
(intransitive) To fall into error or heresy.
Laps
To form a lap or fold.
Lapse
To slip into a bad habit that one is trying to avoid.
Laps
To wind around or enfold something.
Lapse
(intransitive) To become void.
Laps
To take in (a liquid or food) by lifting it with the tongue.
Lapse
To fall or pass from one proprietor to another, or from the original destination, by the omission, negligence, or failure of somebody, such as a patron or legatee.
Laps
To wash or slap against with soft liquid sounds
Waves lapping the side of the boat.
Lapse
A gliding, slipping, or gradual falling; an unobserved or imperceptible progress or passing away,; - restricted usually to immaterial things, or to figurative uses.
The lapse to indolence is soft and imperceptible.
Bacon was content to wait the lapse of long centuries for his expected revenue of fame.
Laps
To take in a liquid or food with the tongue.
Lapse
A slip; an error; a fault; a failing in duty; a slight deviation from truth or rectitude.
To guard against those lapses and failings to which our infirmities daily expose us.
Laps
To wash against something with soft liquid sounds.
Lapse
The termination of a right or privilege through neglect to exercise it within the limited time, or through failure of some contingency; hence, the devolution of a right or privilege.
Laps
Plural of lap
Lapse
A fall or apostasy.
Laps
A segment of distance covered.
Each lap of the marathon tested the runners' endurance.
Lapse
To pass slowly and smoothly downward, backward, or away; to slip downward, backward, or away; to glide; - mostly restricted to figurative uses.
A tendency to lapse into the barbarity of those northern nations from whom we are descended.
Homer, in his characters of Vulcan and Thersites, has lapsed into the burlesque character.
Lapse
To slide or slip in moral conduct; to fail in duty; to fall from virtue; to deviate from rectitude; to commit a fault by inadvertence or mistake.
To lapse in fullnessIs sorer than to lie for need.
Lapse
To fall or pass from one proprietor to another, or from the original destination, by the omission, negligence, or failure of some one, as a patron, a legatee, etc.
If the archbishop shall not fill it up within six months ensuing, it lapses to the king.
Lapse
To let slip; to permit to devolve on another; to allow to pass.
An appeal may be deserted by the appellant's lapsing the term of law.
Lapse
To surprise in a fault or error; hence, to surprise or catch, as an offender.
For which, if be lapsed in this place,I shall pay dear.
Lapse
A mistake resulting from inattention
Lapse
A break or intermission in the occurrence of something;
A lapse of three weeks between letters
Lapse
A failure to maintain a higher state
Lapse
Pass into a specified state or condition;
He sank into Nirvana
Lapse
End, at least for a long time;
The correspondence lapsed
Lapse
Drop to a lower level, as in one's morals or standards
Lapse
Go back to bad behavior;
Those who recidivate are often minor criminals
Lapse
Let slip;
He lapsed his membership
Lapse
Pass by;
Three years elapsed
Common Curiosities
How does a lapse affect insurance coverage?
A lapse in insurance coverage occurs when premium payments are missed and the policy is not renewed, leaving the policyholder unprotected.
Can a contract lapse?
Yes, a contract can lapse when it reaches its expiration date without renewal or extension, effectively becoming void.
What are common causes of a lapse in judgment?
Common causes of a lapse in judgment include fatigue, stress, distraction, or insufficient information.
Why might someone experience a memory lapse?
Memory lapses can occur due to various reasons including aging, stress, sleep deprivation, or medical conditions like dementia.
What does it mean to lap someone in a race?
Lapping someone in a race means overtaking them so significantly that you complete one more circuit or loop than they do.
What happens when a driver’s license lapses?
When a driver’s license lapses, it becomes invalid, and the individual is no longer legally allowed to drive until it is renewed.
How can athletes prevent a lapse in performance?
Athletes can prevent a lapse in performance by maintaining consistent training, proper rest, and mental focus.
How are laps counted in a relay race?
In a relay race, laps are counted as each team member completes a circuit of the track or course before passing the baton to the next runner.
What is the significance of laps in endurance sports?
In endurance sports, laps are significant for pacing, measuring distance covered, and strategizing for energy conservation and sprints.
How do laps relate to the overall timing in a race?
In timed races, laps are crucial for calculating overall performance, determining the pace, and strategizing race tactics.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
