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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Fierce union backlash has derailed previous government attempts at shaking up Argentina’s archaic labor code, widely seen as among the most costly to companies in Latin America.—
Isabel Debre,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Now, athletes should be able to dissect loopholes within the archaic NCAA eligibility system, which seems to be dissolving slowly in real time.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Housed in a bulletproof case, the delicate bones reveal the saint’s ascetic life while strict security protects relics from historical theft.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
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Animation legend Hayao Miyazaki crafts a clever historical fiction story that appeals to both kids and adults, with eye-popping aerial battles and potent themes of war and political resistance.—
Danny Horn,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Christina Schaffer’s beautifully detailed production design feels, at times, like stepping into a 1970s Rainer Werner Fassbinder film or one of those old-world European hotels where the toilet shares space with the shower, and a jaunty bellhop awaits in the lobby downstairs to deliver travel tips.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
18 Feb. 2026
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In contrast to the old-world grandeur of classic Berlin hotels, the 32-floor Waldorf Astoria is located in the modern Zoofenster skyscraper, about 10 minutes by car from the festival epicenter.—
Melinda Sheckells,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
There are chances for writers, actors and crew members to secure work for at least a little while, and that executives are rediscovering that some supposedly outmoded ways of making television can still be good, actually.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Feb. 2026
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Both were premised on the idea of frictionless ease, liberating their users from outmoded toils.—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Kikuo and Shunsuke revere kabuki’s bygone giants, who are affixed with that moniker.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Instead of lauding the triumph of the solo artist or eulogizing the uniqueness of a bygone time, Fischer demonstrates the evergreen value of collaboration.—
Michael O’Donnell,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
These very early prehistoric burials in southern England and Wales, because of their northern location, haven’t generally survived due to the glaciers that populated the area during the Ice Age.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Feb. 2026
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The new research focused on three Prototaxites fossils unearthed in the Rhynie chert, a prehistoric land ecosystem near Aberdeen, Scotland.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Trump may attempt to revive Section 338 of the antiquated 1930 Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, which theoretically allows the president to hit discriminatory countries with tariffs of up to 50%, but Ashworth sees courts ruling that the explicit provisions of the 1974 Trade Act would take legal precedence.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
20 Feb. 2026
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Instead of preserving antiquated limits, Trump needs to act unilaterally to modernize America’s nuclear deterrent.—
Marc A. Thiessen,
Washington Post,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
For a taste of history, the Tai O Heritage Hotel—a former marine police station and grade II historic building—serves up local delicacies under a glass roof, offering stunning views and a side of Tai O's famous shrimp paste.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
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The upcoming historic mission, expected to lift off as soon as early March, will mark the first time humans have ventured to the moon’s vicinity in more than 50 years — and kick-start a new wave of lunar exploration that could answer enduring questions about Earth’s natural satellite.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Atavistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atavistic. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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