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

Their humble opponents are said to have defeated David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane and Alessandro Del Piero in a 1996 match shown via flashbacks. —Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 7 May 2026

Earlier this week, FX release a bonus one-hour flashback episode that is a stand-alone story featuring Cousin Richie (Moss-Bachrach) and Mikey Berzatto (Jon Bernthal) on a daytrip to Gary, Indiana. —Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026

Verb

Prime Video has assembled the main new cast of We Were Liars Season 2, which flashes back to two and a half decades before the events in the first season. —Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 7 May 2026

Starting on pole for a rainy race in Miami flashes back to last year’s very rainy F1 Sprint race in Miami, Antonelli’s first F1 pole of any kind. —David J. Neal updated May 2, Miami Herald, 2 May 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