flashback

noun

flash·back | \ ˈflash-ˌbak

Definition of flashback

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

2a : interruption of chronological sequence (as in a film or literary work) by interjection of events of earlier occurrence also : an instance of flashback

b : a past incident recurring vividly in the mind

flash back

verb

Definition of flash back (Entry 2 of 2)

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

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.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The scene is just one of many flashbacks in this episode, but what's still unclear is if Frank will continue to appear on the show, or if this was a one-time occurrence. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "What Tobias Menzies's Return to Outlander Reveals About Frank Randall," 17 Dec. 2018 As for Manny, saddled here with a haunted childhood (those flashbacks are unneeded), a wife with cancer and an 11th-hour bit of life-changing news, the aspiring actor may mean well but never proves a vibrant or compelling enough anchor. — Gary Goldstein, latimes.com, "A bad-boy actor makes for a less than compelling drama in 'Racing Colt'," 21 June 2018 Last night, my daughter wrote on her Instagram that her flashback is poppin'. — Andrea Mandell, USA TODAY, "'Blockers': Parents Leslie Mann, John Cena and Ike Barinholtz just might understand," 2 Apr. 2018 But even in its weakest flashbacks, Unsolved finds a pair of capable stars in Wavyy Jonez, who plays Biggie, and Marcc Rose, who reprises the role of Tupac after making his debut in 2015’s Straight Outta Compton. — Scott Meslow, GQ, "Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G.," 1 Mar. 2018 Near the beginning of the episode, a flashback shows the moment when Versace first met the man who would, seven years later, kill him. — Michael E. Miller, Washington Post, "Fact checking ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’: Did the fashion mogul date his killer?," 17 Jan. 2018 Adora and Catra’s pre-She-Ra relationship is a years-long friendship, but it could be interpreted as a deeper kind of love — in a flashback, Catra is shown to sleep at the foot of Adora’s bed. — Alex Abad-santos, Vox, "She-Ra and the Princesses of Power honors and challenges the original She-Ra.," 21 Nov. 2018 Leta looked to be around 10 in the flashback, and since the movie takes place in 1927, that would put her at about 25 in The Grimes of Grindelwald. — Kelsey Stiegman, Seventeen, "There’s a Hidden Titanic Reference in Fantastic Beasts: the Crimes of Grindelwald and You Totally Missed It," 16 Nov. 2018 Her confession is seen in a flashback that ends with Sean and her conceiving Nicky in an airplane bathroom. — Patti Greco, Glamour, "17 Bonkers Things Blake Lively Says and Does in Her New Movie A Simple Favor," 16 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'flashback.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.