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
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
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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Logging later resumed under an archaic mandate and approval processes that a past Cal Fire director and others say still violates key laws such as CEQA and works at cross purposes to the missions of other agencies.—
John P. O’Brien,
Mercury News,
13 Sep. 2025
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But Vermont, unfortunately, has a lot of archaic politics that allow a lot of abuse of wildlife.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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All of Wall Street is sharing and celebrating the historical studies of what happens when the Fed drops rates after a long pause and when the stock market is within 2% of a record high.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
16 Sep. 2025
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In July, Lake reported the number of first-time homebuyers had shrunk to just half the historical norm.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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All this plays out against the Borg’s family home in Oslo, an old-world cottage that looks sprung from a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, but holding generations of memories and trauma, embedded in its walls.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Sep. 2025
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Home offices also benefit from old-world wallpaper.—
Sophie Flaxman,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Until Uber and Lyft arrived, ride-seekers were reliant on outmoded taxicab operations.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
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This has been attributed in part to surging loads from artificial intelligence data centers, as well as outmoded energy infrastructure.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The restaurant is set inside a building whose interior decor, installed by the family, resembles that of a house in a bygone bayou.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
12 Sep. 2025
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Gen Z is definitely here for the glam interiors of a bygone era.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Research conducted at Zvejnieki has often challenged longheld assumptions about gender roles in prehistoric Europe.—
Sarah Durn,
Popular Science,
11 Sep. 2025
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Towering over its modern relatives, this prehistoric predator was not only the largest species of lion ever recorded, but also one of the top apex predators of the Ice Age.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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While traditional wisdom may say to avoid white linen pants after Labor Day, fashion-forward travelers ditched that antiquated rule years ago.—
Genevieve Cepeda,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Sep. 2025
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So there is nothing to displace the antiquated image of a pyramid of boxes that remains implanted in our brains.—
Steve Denning,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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From host Nate Bargatze's Boys and Girls Club gamble to Tramell Tillman's historic win, here are the most notable highs and lows from the Primetime Emmy Awards.—
Kristen Baldwin,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Sep. 2025
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Consumer sentiment is slipping near historic lows.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Atavistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atavistic. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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