as in archaic
formal
very primitive
—used to describe feelings or qualities that human beings have had from the earliest times
atavistic instincts reverting to atavistic behavior
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Recent Examples of atavistic
To dismiss animism as ignorant, superstitious, or atavistic is to partake in modern parochialism, and this serves the interests of those who, like the tree’s killers, delight in destroying life.
—
Colin Cepuran,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Safdie perceptively locates the protagonist’s troubling inner contradictions—the atavistic fury that drives him to compete and the intense self-control that competition demands—but dramatizes such outer crises as opioid addiction and conflict with his girlfriend (Emily Blunt) only schematically.
—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
Rather than conjuring a mood of bracing inexorability, this linear focus only suffocates what might be an interesting debate, as a man of the modern world weighs his values against those of a woman raised in atavistic isolation.
—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
The experts think fiat money is mature and serious and the gold standard cranky, weird, and atavistic.
—
Brian Domitrovic,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Colin Cepuran,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Safdie perceptively locates the protagonist’s troubling inner contradictions—the atavistic fury that drives him to compete and the intense self-control that competition demands—but dramatizes such outer crises as opioid addiction and conflict with his girlfriend (Emily Blunt) only schematically.
—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
Rather than conjuring a mood of bracing inexorability, this linear focus only suffocates what might be an interesting debate, as a man of the modern world weighs his values against those of a woman raised in atavistic isolation.
—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
The experts think fiat money is mature and serious and the gold standard cranky, weird, and atavistic.
—
Brian Domitrovic,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atavistic
Adjective
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The sixth block in the Parthenon’s tympanum—or recessed space—was restored by combining a pair of archaic fragments with new pieces of marble, while the seventh block has been completed using only fresh marble.
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His department of justice brought back the firing squad on federal row in April of 2026; several states now also use what was once considered an archaic method.
Adjective
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Leveraging technology to render complete 3D worlds based on meticulous historical research, the exhibition is much more than panels on a wall.
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The volatility component seeks stocks with a lower 36-month historical return volatility.
Adjective
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This look is perfect for modern farmhouse styles and old-world or country aesthetics.
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What’s certain is their European background gave the home an air of old-world grandeur.
Adjective
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Their outmoded style, with its seriousness and corniness, its big acting choices and low budgets, is basically impossible to recreate without falling into parody.
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Embossed business cards, account ledgers, bins of bolts at the hardware store—all are pleasurable physical artifacts that have been more or less outmoded by technology.
Adjective
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This governance would be designed ex ante to manage volatility, concentrations of power, and systemic risk rather than retrofitted from a bygone era.
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Neither will seek to engage in the trap of nostalgia for a bygone era.
Adjective
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Devil’s Den Spring Located in Levy County, Devil's Den Spring is a prehistoric natural spring inside a cave that offers diving and snorkeling in crystal clear, 72-degree waters all year long.
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Turn left out of the hotel for the Museu de Menorca, revealing a comprehensive history from modern mass tourism back to prehistoric times, and the Talayotic culture, from 1600 BCE to 123 BCE.
Adjective
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The modern Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system replaced the aircraft’s antiquated radar.
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Farms open up between the forestry, and the antiquated Martindale Chief Diner hangs on a curb.
Adjective
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And historic moments are what The Star and our journalists do.
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Amid the fallout, Honarkar lost possession of most of his properties, including the historic Hotel Laguna, where a public scuffle had broken out in 2023 between his security team and guards working for the partner who wrested control of the landmark.
Cite this Entry
“Atavistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atavistic. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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