hark back

verb

harked back; harking back; harks back

intransitive verb

1

: to turn back to an earlier topic or circumstance

2

: to go back to something as an origin or source

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Hark Back Got Its Start in Hunting

Hark, a very old word meaning "to listen," was used as a cry in hunting. The master of the hunt might cry "Hark! Forward!" or "Hark! Back!" The cries became set phrases, both as nouns and verbs. Thus, a "hark back" was a retracing of a route by dogs and hunters, and to "hark back" was to turn back along the path. From its use in hunting, the verb soon acquired its current figurative meanings. The variants hearken and harken (also very old words meaning “to listen”) are also used, with and without back, as synonyms of hark back.

Synonyms

• flash back (to)
• harken back (to)
• hearken back (to)
• mind [chiefly dialect]
• recall
• recollect
• remember
• reminisce (about)
• reproduce
• think (of)

Examples of hark back in a Sentence

the new stadium, designed for nostalgic appeal, harks back to the intimate ballparks of yore

Recent Examples on the Web

The Infinite Black shade harks back to Bang & Olufsen’s classic designs from the 1970s and offset beautifully with the contracting aluminum driver housings. —Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2024

The day’s lineup was heavy on punk and alternative tunes, harking back to Lollapalooza’s roots in the ’90s, with Pierce the Veil preceding Blink-182 on the T-Mobile mainstage and a day-opening set on the Bacardi stage by Chicago alternative band Scarlet Demore. —Doug George, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2024

The medal trays, which hark back to Vuitton’s trunk-making heritage, were crafted by the house’s artisans at one of its leather goods workshops. —Joelle Diderich, WWD, 2 July 2024

The segment was widely mocked online, harking back to other clumsy efforts by Democratic leaders to appeal to Black voters. —Janay Kingsberry, Washington Post, 7 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

hark back

verb

: to recall or cause to recall something earlier

hark back to the good old days