throwback

noun throw·back \ ˈthrō-ˌbak \

Updated on: 24 Apr 2018

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

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Recent Examples of throwback from the Web

That could cut queues, and is an inadvertent throwback to those glamour days—Boeing's famed Clipper also had onboard urinals.

— jack stewart, WIRED, "Bunkbeds in the Cargo Hold Trumpet a New Golden Age of Flying," 19 Apr. 2018
As aforementioned earlier in the article, these were the Barcelona legend's special Tiempo range; a real throwback.

— SI.com, "Trendsetters Part II: 15 of the Most Unique Boots Seen Around Europe This Season," 18 Apr. 2018
As her unwillingness to come right out and say a vulgarism suggests, Mrs. Bush was in many ways a throwback.

— mark feeney, BostonGlobe.com, "Barbara Bush, matriarch in a political dynasty, dies at 92," 17 Apr. 2018
Burberry churned out its own plaid version, also with a plastic brim, for Fall 2018, for a very late ’90s throwback.

— madeline fass, Vogue, "Is the Visor Making a Comeback? Kim Kardashian West and Dior Think So," 11 Apr. 2018
Kim Kardashian West couldn’t even wait until Thursday for a little throwback.

— stephanie petit, PEOPLE.com, "Kim Kardashian Shares Adorable Throwback Photo with Kanye West," 4 Apr. 2018
For Taylor Swift, Easter weekend was filled with music — and a throwback to her early days as an artist at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe.

— raisa bruner, Time, "Taylor Swift Surprised Fans with a Return to Her Nashville Roots," 2 Apr. 2018
With Dorian Gris, a throwback to Charlotte’s early 2000s Latin rock scene.

— courtney devores, charlotteobserver, "8 buzzworthy concerts coming to Charlotte in the next week | Charlotte Observer," 28 Mar. 2018
Get ready for throwback jadeite butter dishes, syrup and straw dispensers, Fisher-Price classic chatter telephones, and plenty of fun Coca-Cola nostalgia items.

— perri ormont blumberg, Southern Living, "WATCH: This Cracker Barrel Collection Is a Dream for Nostalgia Lovers," 22 Mar. 2018

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

First Known Use of throwback

1888

in the meaning defined at sense 2a

See Words from the same year

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throw back

verb

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

Recent Examples of throw back from the Web

Mirror face can allow for inspection and evaluation (turning the head, hair thrown back, to examine a jaw) or subterfuge (locating the angle that straightens a nose).

— molly fischer, The Cut, "Mirror Face," 2 Apr. 2018
The woman is then thrown back to the other man, who grabs her from behind and begins to grind into her.

— Newsweek, "Analysis," 14 Mar. 2018
Jay started drinking at about four o'clock that afternoon, throwing back beers in frustration.

— sean flynn, Esquire, "The Perfect Fire," 9 Mar. 2017
The video, which included the Herb Brooks locker-room speech from Miracle, threw back to Brady and his teammates’ college days before switching to NFL highlights.

— andrew joseph, For The Win, "Tom Brady shares his own epic hype video just hours before the Patriots' Super Bowl," 4 Feb. 2018
Every Sunday morning, Rob would throw back the comforter and go to prepare lunch for homeless people in a church basement.

— elizabeth greenwood, Longreads, "The Month of Giving Dangerously," 31 Jan. 2018
In just seventeen days the French and British armies were routed and thrown back to Dunkirk, where they were surrounded by the Nazis.

— david hambling, Popular Mechanics, "4 Ways the Battle of Dunkirk Showed Us the Future of War," 23 Jan. 2018
Jigar Desai had thrown back a few drinks before heading to the football game on Sunday night.

— melissa locker, Time, "Enthusiastic Eagles Fan Who Went Viral for Running Into a Pole Says He's Totally Fine," 23 Jan. 2018
These are the kinds of barbs thrown back and forth between the siblings who make up the starting OSU backcourt.

— danny moran, OregonLive.com, "Thompson brothers key to Oregon State men's basketball success entering pivotal stretch," 17 Jan. 2018

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

First Known Use of throw back

1840

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

THROWBACK Defined for English Language Learners

throwback

noun

: a person or thing that is similar to someone or something from the past or that is suited to an earlier time

Medical Dictionary

throwback

noun throw·back \ ˈthrō-ˌbak \

1 : reversion to an earlier type or phase : atavism

2 : an instance or product of atavistic reversion

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throw back

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