as in relapse
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of atavism
Karp’s ideological atavism is all too typical of the current bent of Silicon Valley.
—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Such atavism couldn’t be further from Alexandre Estrela’s technological vision.
—
Pablo Larios,
Artforum,
10 June 2026
Their success depends on a careful combination of atavism and innovation.
—
David George Haskell,
Big Think,
27 Mar. 2026
Millet plays with the title and with the idea of atavism, in which an ancient trait asserts itself by skipping forward a few generations to suddenly appear in the gene pool.
—
Heather Scott Partington,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Early on, these doctors-cum-criminal-profilers explained bad apples through theories such as atavism.
—
WIRED,
21 Feb. 2023
This sumptuous piece of theatrical atavism bore little resemblance to the actual events of Mozart’s life, but most nonpurist musicians happily accepted the melodramatization; quite apart from the thespian pyrotechnics, the sophisticated choice of music was a revelation.
—
Simon Callow,
The New York Review of Books,
22 Dec. 2022
If learning and gentility are signs of civilization, perhaps our almost-big brains are straining against their residual atavism, struggling to expand.
—
Richard Granger,
Discover Magazine,
31 Oct. 2022
Western elites believed that in the twenty-first century, cosmopolitanism and globalism would triumph over atavism and tribal loyalties.
—
Walter Russell Mead,
Foreign Affairs,
20 Jan. 2017
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Such atavism couldn’t be further from Alexandre Estrela’s technological vision.
—
Pablo Larios,
Artforum,
10 June 2026
Their success depends on a careful combination of atavism and innovation.
—
David George Haskell,
Big Think,
27 Mar. 2026
Millet plays with the title and with the idea of atavism, in which an ancient trait asserts itself by skipping forward a few generations to suddenly appear in the gene pool.
—
Heather Scott Partington,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Early on, these doctors-cum-criminal-profilers explained bad apples through theories such as atavism.
—
WIRED,
21 Feb. 2023
This sumptuous piece of theatrical atavism bore little resemblance to the actual events of Mozart’s life, but most nonpurist musicians happily accepted the melodramatization; quite apart from the thespian pyrotechnics, the sophisticated choice of music was a revelation.
—
Simon Callow,
The New York Review of Books,
22 Dec. 2022
If learning and gentility are signs of civilization, perhaps our almost-big brains are straining against their residual atavism, struggling to expand.
—
Richard Granger,
Discover Magazine,
31 Oct. 2022
Western elites believed that in the twenty-first century, cosmopolitanism and globalism would triumph over atavism and tribal loyalties.
—
Walter Russell Mead,
Foreign Affairs,
20 Jan. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atavism
Noun
-
Winfrey blamed the incident, which occurred during Houston's final appearance on the talk show in 2009, on the singer's drug relapse.
-
Even when children are cured, there can be side effects from the treatment, and the possibility of a relapse is always lurking.
Noun
-
The return on investment varied widely by major, from a high of $204,686 for engineering and architecture degrees to a low of $35,410 for liberal arts.
-
Investors, anticipating better returns, will often dump their bonds and wait to buy new ones at higher yields).
Noun
-
The tradwife trend is controversial in that it is seen by some as a rejection of feminism and a reversion to a seemingly simpler time.
-
No photos have been revealed yet for next year’s release, but the reversion to the name Super Freak suggests the original details should return as well.
Noun
-
But viewing Nix as a reason for regression?
-
There are nuanced explanations available which acknowledge injury, regression and Ehlers’ departure.
Noun
-
The logic here is highly questionable — dying for your queen and dying by her hand are not equivalent sacrifices — but let’s blame Lorent’s lapse in judgment on the chaos of the moment.
-
Pulte's appointment led to the lapse of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act -- which allows the federal government to collect communications of foreigners abroad without a warrant.
Noun
-
What Happens Next Looking ahead, the State Department is clear: further retrogression or even category closures are possible later this fiscal year if demand continues to increase.
-
This book is all about the fight to stem the tide of retrogression.
Cite this Entry
“Atavism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atavism. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
