atavism

noun

Definition of atavismnext
as in relapse

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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 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 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
  1. relapse
  2. return
  3. reversion
  4. regression
  5. lapse
  6. retrogression
Noun
  • Other medications are used to treat acute relapses or manage symptoms such as fatigue, walking difficulties, spasticity and bladder problems.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Of the men who were part of the original study's AAS-using cohort, 35 were still taking the drugs, while the remaining participants were in varying stages of quitting, long-term abstinence and relapse.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of relapse
Noun
  • Sirianni stood by his decision on that sequence but regretted kicking the ball in play to Ameer Abdullah on the ensuing kickoff, after Abdullah’s 53-yard return in seven seconds set up Jacksonville’s game-winning kick.
    — Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Rising country stars Megan Moroney and Zach Bryan will headline GoldenSky in its 2027 return, organizers announced Thursday morning.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of return
Noun
  • Referred to as reversions, these should also be removed promptly.
    — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 12 Sep. 2026
  • That sense is epitomised by the reversion to goalkeepers who can, unlike some of the strugglers from 2022-23, actually make saves on a consistent basis.
    — Michael Cox, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of reversion
Noun
  • Some hope settled after Missouri drop-kicked Florida’s momentum 45-17 last Saturday, even while regression, especially for a team that had already matched its win total from last fall, felt due.
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Some regression was expected with the arrival of offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis from UConn and Harvard transfer quarterback Jaden Craig.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of regression
Noun
  • Yet, a last-second mental lapse Sunday by one of the five professional sports franchises Johnson co-owns prompted him to tweet the equivalent of a distress signal.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Dozens of people died, and investigators later found severe safety lapses in the pharmacy’s production of sterile drugs.
    — Alana Semuels, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of lapse
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
Definition of retrogression

Browse Nearby Words

at any rate
atavism
atavisms
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Cite this Entry

“Atavism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atavism. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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