ATAVISTIC Synonyms: 100 Similar and Opposite Words

atavistic

adjective

Definition of atavistic

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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Example Sentences

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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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for atavistic

Adjective

And yet, despite these numbers, hurdles as seemingly archaic as international mailing addresses have long hampered small-business owners in digital banking.

— Eyal Lifshitz, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
The Spanish is archaic, the intonations are complicated, and the words tumble over themselves like a hard charge toward the goal posts.

— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026

Definition of archaic

Adjective

The 1968 Benchmark The late 1960s marked the historical high-water mark for the real value of the federal minimum wage.

— Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 24 July 2026
An international tribunal ruled in 2016 that China has no legal basis to claim historical rights to the bulk of the South China Sea.

— Ivan Watson, CNN Money, 24 July 2026

Definition of historical

Adjective

In addition to its luxurious old-world style surroundings, the staff here does an excellent job of making your stay as pleasant as possible.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026
Combing through the aisles of your local antique market isn't the only way to score a rug with old-world character.

— Vy Yang, Architectural Digest, 9 July 2026

Definition of old-world

Adjective

While the glass and steel of the outside remind visitors of a bygone era, the inside is a series of clean exhibition spaces, thanks to a 2011 renovation.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 July 2026
In his new book, Fast + Louche, the New York Times best-selling author and Vanity Fair special correspondent turns his former Interview magazine column into a gritty yet glamorous glimpse into a bygone era of celebrity.

— Derek C. Blasberg, Vanity Fair, 7 July 2026

Definition of bygone

Adjective

While the area was formerly covered by prehistoric lakes, today the water here mainly exists as seasonal wetlands, gurgling geysers, hot springs, and a hypersaline lake that’s saltier than the ocean.

— Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 18 July 2026
The species has remained unchanged since prehistoric times, finding ways to survive while other species became extinct, according to the San Diego Zoo.

— Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 16 July 2026

Definition of prehistoric

Adjective

But Merrywood’s charms, both elegant and antiquated, might face the wrecking ball later this year.

— Brian Bell, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2026
During his Superman press tour last year, Nicholas Hoult paraded around New York City wearing oversized totes, including the Prada Buckle antiquated leather bag.

— Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 10 July 2026

Definition of antiquated

Adjective

The storm system that caused historic flooding in West Virginia Tuesday into Wednesday and wreaked havoc from the Ohio Valley to the East Coast will linger across Virginia and the Southeast through the end of the week.

— Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
For many, its mix of Victorian-era architecture and historic landmarks is worth the trip alone.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 July 2026