ATAVISMS Synonyms: 17 Similar and Opposite Words

atavisms

noun

plural of atavism

as in relapses

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for atavisms

Noun

Without treatment, symptoms can continue for a month or longer, and many people experience relapses where symptoms disappear before returning.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 21 July 2026
People whose symptoms clear up over time can still experience relapses for weeks after exposure.

— Laura Bradley, Health, 13 July 2026

Definition of relapses

Noun

Traditional lenders remain hesitant about self-employment income, often ignoring or penalizing applicants whose taxable net returns don't reflect their actual cash flow, despite gig workers diversifying their risk through multiple income streams.

— Efri Argaman, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Investors had been looking for evidence that Azure and Copilot, Microsoft's flagship AI assistant, could eventually produce returns as concerns about high AI spending had steadily grown across the industry.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 July 2026

Definition of returns

Noun

Watch for and prune out any reversions, which are individual shoots lacking variegation.

— Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 Feb. 2026
But there are a wide range of both broken skills and weapons (go try out Sturm), and some promised updates or nerf reversions don’t seem to have happened at all.

— Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

Definition of reversions

Noun

Construction accidents are not uncommon in India, where rapid infrastructure growth often collides with fragile geology, construction lapses, extreme weather and safety standards.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 July 2026
Clear communication about who is responsible for supervision can prevent these lapses.

— Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

Definition of lapses

Noun

Are there regressions--things which used to work but now are broken?

— Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
That desire has fueled the growth of the group's WhatsApp chat, where more than 100 fathers swap advice on everything from sleep regressions and picky eaters to potty training and weekend activities.

— Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 20 June 2026

Definition of regressions

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.

Browse Nearby Words

atavism

atavisms

atavistic

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Atavisms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atavisms. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of atavisms

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

comely

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly

Popular in Wordplay

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes