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
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
Is my interest in the moon some dormant atavism from a more primitive era of human life?
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Oct. 2022
Obama crashed against a wall of atavism and paranoia.
—Matthew Continetti, National Review, 29 Jan. 2022
This gives his career an arc of atavism and abnegating tragedy, a willful artist hopelessly at the mercy of his obsessions.
—Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2021
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
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
Is my interest in the moon some dormant atavism from a more primitive era of human life?
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Oct. 2022
Obama crashed against a wall of atavism and paranoia.
—Matthew Continetti, National Review, 29 Jan. 2022
This gives his career an arc of atavism and abnegating tragedy, a willful artist hopelessly at the mercy of his obsessions.
—Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2021
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
-
According to the police foundation, the centers have helped cut crime relapses from 85% in 2017 to a current 6%.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
These recommendations are based, in part, on studies that have found higher relapse rates among those who stop taking the medication versus those who do not.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
On Monday, Bucks coach Doc Rivers declined to provide a timeline for Antetokounmpo’s return from his most recent injury.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
As a collective, HQ Portfolio stocks have offered superior returns with reduced risk compared to the benchmark index; providing a smoother ride, as illustrated in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Investing in stocks with low valuations or those trading considerably below their peak values while still maintaining strong margins affords investors the chance to benefit from mean reversion and potential re-rating of valuations.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Many factor studies are most robust at roughly monthly horizons because fundamental and positioning data updates occur on that cadence, and because mean reversion is more likely to occur over weeks than over days, the duration aligns naturally with options trading frequency and maintenance.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
America’s universities, by their nature, are natural opponents to that regression.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Despite his success at the plate, Bader projects to be due for some regression.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Everything about the story was shocking—the fact of the gun, the lapse in security, the surreal death of one of the most powerful men in the country.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
-
But the misses didn’t need to coincide with some of the mental lapses Edwards endured in the 70 seconds of Thursday’s loss.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This book is all about the fight to stem the tide of retrogression.—
Ken Makin,
Christian Science Monitor,
19 Nov. 2025
-
Visa retrogression might become more of an issue for Indian and Chinese applicants who invest under the high-unemployment category due to its more limited availability.—
Sam Silverman,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Atavism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atavism. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
