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

Her mom celebrated the actress’s milestone birthday by sharing a throwback photo on Instagram. — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 2 Sep. 2026

Fergie, 51, marked the milestone with an Instagram carousel featuring photos of Axl throughout the years, including a throwback of the singer holding him as a toddler as well as a more recent snapshot of the mother-son duo at dinner together. — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

Game night is a throwback to when people welcomed their neighbors in to pop by for dinner without worrying about the menu or whether their house looked perfect. — Heather Bien, Southern Living, 29 Aug. 2026

Mizzou will also be wearing black and gold throwback uniforms for the game. — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026

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
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback
• cutback

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