Lapse-Elapse | Commonly Confused Words

Lapse

/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.

/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.

Lapse contains an L at the start and is often associated with a drop or decline, like a lapse in concentration.
Elapse has E at the start and is used to describe the passing or slipping away of time.
Remember, elapse is related to the way time eases by.
A lapse is often a brief lack of something, like a mistake or omission.
An easy way to distinguish: elapse is about time passing (think of "elapsed time"), while lapse often indicates oversight or failure.