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

But then this is not exactly a grittily realistic flashback, or one terribly concerned with details of historical timeline. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 6 Nov. 2026

There’s non-kaiju human death, too, including a flashback to the immediate aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing in which a bloodied grandfather discovers the charred remains of his daughter and grandson. — James Grebey, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026

Verb

The next issue was flashing back to the latest TRMNL firmware package. — ArsTechnica, 2 Nov. 2026

The video then flashed back to her childhood, with a young Dannielynn wearing a one-piece bathing suit and smiling. — Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 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
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback
• cutback

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