Elapse-Lapse | Commonly Confused Words

Elapse

/ɪˈlæps/

To pass or slip away in the context of time, usually without notice.

Several hours would elapse before help arrived.A minute seemed to elapse in slow motion.Five years may elapse between updates.

/læps/

A temporary failure or mistake, or the passage of time.

The contract will lapse at midnight if not renewed.Her gym membership will lapse next month.Memories of the event began to lapse as years passed.

Lapse often suggests a fall or a discontinuation, such as a lapse in judgment or a lapse in time.
The word elapse always relates to the passage of time, such as minutes or hours elapsing during an activity.
Lapse can imply a mistake or temporary failure, whereas elapse is neutral, describing the mere flow of time.
Remember that lapse is related to lapsing into a state, whereas elapse is purely time-bound.
Lapse often deals with a halt or end to something, while elapse is just about how time moves along.