throwback

1 of 2

noun

throw·​back ˈthrō-ˌbak 

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

throw back

2 of 2

verb

threw back; thrown back; throwing back; throws back

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

Examples of throwback in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Reid’s Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Funchal, Madeira A reference since 1891, the pink Reid’s Palace is a charming throwback to the days when sun-seeking aristocrats came to breathe the healing air, and when Winston Churchill made the hotel his island home. —Ann Abel, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025

But his belief that people who share the same language and blood should be united in a single nation is still a throwback. —Andrew Higgins, New York Times, 16 May 2025

Verb

Burnham had an errant throw back to home plate that Miller, who had her legs taken out by Brady, had no chance to grab. —Ethan Westerman, Arkansas Online, 26 May 2025

Everyone has been finding their groove, figuring out how this show runs… talk to me about getting thrown back in amid the unrelenting chaos of those mass casualty episodes. —Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 11 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 2b

Verb

1656, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Rhymes for throwback

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

Kids Definition

throwback

noun

throw·​back ˈthrō-ˌbak 

: something that has changed back to an earlier type or phase

Medical Definition

throwback

noun

throw·​back ˈthrō-ˌbak 

1

: reversion to an earlier type or phase : atavism

2

: an instance or product of atavistic reversion