flashback

1 of 2

noun

flash·​back ˈflash-ˌbak 

1

: a recession of flame to an unwanted position (as into a blowpipe)

2

a

: interruption of chronological sequence (as in a film or literary work) by interjection of events of earlier occurrence

also : an instance of flashback

Jane, a TV producer, is shown in flashback as a schoolgirl …

—Margaret Rauch

b

: a past incident recurring vividly in the mind

also : an instance of such recurrence

having flashbacks to his experiences in the war

flash back

2 of 2

verb

flashed back; flashing back; flashes back

intransitive verb

1

: to focus one's mind on or vividly remember a past time or incident

—usually used with to

flashed back to my childhood

2

: to employ a flashback (as in a film)

—usually used with to

Synonyms of flashback

Verb

• remember
• recall
• think (of)

Examples of flashback in a Sentence

Noun

The character's childhood was described in a series of flashbacks.

He's having flashbacks of his days in the war.

Verb

the scent made me flash back to the days of my mother's home-cooked Sunday dinners

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In a particularly gnarly flashback, one sibling voluntarily — and crudely — amputates his fingers to match his brother's disfigured hand, which lost two digits when Angier shot him. —Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026

The world economy is experiencing a disorienting flashback to the 1970s. —Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026

Verb

First in Episode 209, set at the funeral of Jake’s father, which flashed back to the start of the pandemic when Amy and Jake’s decisive early action saved lives and forged a closer relationship between them. —Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 14 Apr. 2026

The 2026 Rockies flashed back to the ’25 Rockies on Saturday night in San Diego. —Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1903, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1944, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for flashback

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

Kids Definition

flashback

noun

flash·​back ˈflash-ˌbak 

1

: the introduction of a past event into a story or motion picture

also : this past event

2

: a past incident recurring clearly in the mind