throwback
Americannoun
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throwbacks
plural
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Biology.
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the reversion to an ancestral or earlier type or character; atavism.
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an individual having the characteristics of a remote ancestor or primitive type; an example of atavism.
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a person or thing that evokes memories or imitates something from the past (often used attributively): On their anniversary, she took to social media with a throwback photo from their wedding reception.
These chandeliers are designed as a throwback to those old-style candlelit lanterns.
On their anniversary, she took to social media with a throwback photo from their wedding reception.
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an act of throwing back.
A sudden ban on fish throwbacks could harm ecosystems, since a range of predator species are reliant on discarded fish as a food source.
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a setback or check.
noun
verb
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(intr) to revert to an earlier or more primitive type
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to force to depend (on)
the crisis threw her back on her faith in God
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of throwback
First recorded in 1855–60; 1915–20 throwback for def. 1; noun use of verb phrase throw back
Explanation
A return to an older way of doing something—or an old characteristic that reappears—is a throwback. If you like dressing in bell bottoms and leisure suits, your style is a throwback to the 1970s. The noun throwback can be a less-formal way to say atavism. Both words describe a reversion to something that was done (or existed) in the past. If you have red hair like your great-grandmother, you can call that trait a throwback. In sports, a throwback uniform is one that mimics an older style, worn by teams in the past. In biology, a throwback is a trait that returns after having been lost through evolution.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Slate was one of the first news outlets I read regularly, so I’m really enjoying the birthday throwback.
From Slate ● Sep. 15, 2026
It all starts with Saturday’s “Pac-12 After Dark” throwback against UCLA, with the game kicking off at 7:30 p.m. and airing on ESPN.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
Matt Wilkinson, a 250-pound left-hander with a throwback nickname, defied the odds to make his big-league debut on Wednesday for the San Francisco Giants.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
But Maresca's system looks to return to using wingers wide – a throwback to the work of Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane in 2017.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
For me, it was a throwback to the way I’d been raised—the jazz at Southside’s house, the piano recitals and Operetta Workshops put on by my great-aunt Robbie, my family’s trips to downtown museums.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
From Gen Z to Boomers, listeners across generations are increasingly embracing throwbacks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
On March 4 and 6, Disneyland is hosting a ’90s Nite, featuring throwbacks to Disney films and music from the decade, as well as processional that will highlight “The Lion King” and “Mulan.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2024
Her paintings contain visual throwbacks to the gilding and draperies of Renaissance paintings, yet also represent stars from films and pop culture.
From New York Times ● Mar. 20, 2024
And it would be easy to assume the rise in musical throwbacks is simply down to young people rediscovering older music online.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2023
Strangely, it occurred to Phillips for a fleeting lapse of time that old Varret had been reasonably astute in his selections, if he desired violent-tempered throwbacks.
From This World Must Die! by Horace Brown Fyfe
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
