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
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
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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Also, archaic Scottish word for brave.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Oct. 2025
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Perhaps, the time has come to go beyond archaic political loyalties and engage issues on the basis of evidence, merit, and truth, not short-term political expediency.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The site has housed many historical figures over the years, from Queen Margaret to Mary, Queen of Scots.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
22 Oct. 2025
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Teenagers can only take so many historical facts or visits to ancient ruins and notable churches.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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With an ongoing revamp courtesy of fashion’s favorite architect and designer Peter Marino, the interiors are also being given a new lease of life without losing any of the old-world glamour that has seen celebrity guests flock here for decades.—
Liam Hess,
Vogue,
13 Oct. 2025
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From a small, old-world plum have come rich memories lasting a lifetime.—
Anne Byrn,
Southern Living,
12 Oct. 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 couple liked the high ceilings and substantial windows, as well as the nine bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms that referenced a bygone era.—
Kelly Dawson,
Architectural Digest,
20 Oct. 2025
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Like their forebears in a bygone era of Republican politics, their beliefs are defined by faith in free markets and suspicion of government meddling in society.—
David M. Drucker,
Twin Cities,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Long an obstacle to humans seeking to continue down the river, the Falls of the Ohio offer a peek into prehistoric life.—
Leo Bertucci,
Louisville Courier Journal,
25 Oct. 2025
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In the badlands of eastern Wyoming, the Lance Formation is a trove of prehistoric fossils.—
Amanda Schupak,
CNN Money,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Both are now antiquated relics to be housed, and studied, in a museum.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Oct. 2025
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That outlook feels askew and antiquated.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Nichols previously found a historic penny there — notably, it was clipped to half its value.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
20 Oct. 2025
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Additionally, the trucks used to collect yard waste, which are the same ones used for leaf collection and large debris removal like the services needed during the historic flood in August, need to be replaced within the next few years.—
Bridget Fogarty,
jsonline.com,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Atavistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atavistic. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
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