throwback

1 of 2

noun

throw·​back ˈthrō-ˌbak 

1

: one that is suggestive of or suited to an earlier time or style

his manners were a throwback to a more polite era

2

a

: reversion to an earlier type or phase : atavism

b

: an instance or product of atavistic reversion

throw back

2 of 2

verb

threw back; thrown back; throwing back; throws back

transitive verb

1

: to delay the progress or advance of : check

2

: to cause to rely : make dependent

they are thrown back upon … native intelligence

—Michael Novak

3

: reflect

intransitive verb

: to revert to an earlier type or phase

Examples of throwback in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Chai's return coincides with growing restrictions in China Chai's followers note that her show is a throwback to an era that has largely evaporated since Xi took power in 2012. —Wenxin Fan, NPR, 11 Apr. 2025

The episode is both a glorious throwback to classic science fiction (especially Star Trek) and a thrilling look forward into the questions the digital world raises around personhood and agency. —Barry Levitt, Time, 10 Apr. 2025

Verb

With each time warp, he’s thrown back further and further into the bodies of his most influential ancestors. —Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2025

But when the man’s mother arrives on his doorstep weeks before Christmas, the two are thrown back into each other’s orbit for the first time in a decade. —Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 20 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 2b

Verb

1656, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Rhymes for throwback

• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback

Kids Definition

throwback

noun

throw·​back ˈthrō-ˌbak 

: something that has changed back to an earlier type or phase

Medical Definition

throwback

noun

throw·​back ˈthrō-ˌbak 

1

: reversion to an earlier type or phase : atavism

2

: an instance or product of atavistic reversion