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
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
Rather remain archaic and barbaric than find a better option to give.—
Yesika Salgado,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
-
An American classic, the cover oddly archaic, blue, with disembodied eyes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Passover is not about a historical event but about a metaphoric explication of an ideal.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
And there are historical parallels.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
A lot of the film’s leisurely old-world sensibility comes from its bucolic Connecticut locations.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
9 Apr. 2026
-
When not splashed with colorful tiles, the floors are covered in handmade rugs; ornate decor shipped from Alexandria brings old-world charm; intricate crown molding highlights the tall, stately ceilings.—
Elly Leavitt,
Vogue,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But then, the fear that AI could render swaths of the software trade outmoded moved a wave of the savings-for-retirement crowd to demand their money back.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Jones’s novels derive much of their richness from her striking capacity to use literary and cultural tropes that may seem outmoded to new ends.—
Lily Meyer,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Some Republicans longed for a return to a bygone era when state lawmakers regularly worked across the aisle.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Along the way, roadside attractions, vintage motels, and classic diners tell stories of a bygone era of open-road adventure.—
Ginger Crichton,
Midwest Living,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The doctoral student identified more than 600 previously unknown sets of Native American dice from 45 prehistoric archaeological sites in the western United States from the Late Pleistocene until after the period of European contact.—
Taylor Nicioli,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2026
-
While most species evolve dramatically over millennia, giant salamanders represent a direct link to a prehistoric world.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
At the root of the problem are both antiquated technology and staffing issues.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
These antiquated institutions barely provide heat in the winter and cannot cool down in the summer.—
Steve Zeidman,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar called on Iran and the United States to keep their commitment to maintain a ceasefire, after both countries ended historic face-to-face talks without an agreement.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
The astronauts snapped thousands of photos during their historic pass around the moon, shot video and recorded their personal observations to give researchers insights based on the color sensitivity of the human eye.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Atavistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atavistic. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
