throwback 1 of 2

noun

Definition of throwbacknext
as in fogy
a person or thing that is similar to someone or something from the past or that is suited to an earlier time
—usually + to She's a throwback to the actresses of the 1950s. The band's music is a throwback to the 1980s.

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throw back

2 of 2

verb

as in to return

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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 throwback
Noun
The inflatables are a throwback to the 1980s when Manchester City was relegated to the second tier of English soccer. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026 As other companies dodge the Grand Theft Auto juggernaut by avoiding the November release window, Nintendo's wholesome throwback is poised to stand out against the glitzy violence of Grand Theft Auto. — James Perkins Mastromarino, NPR, 14 Oct. 2026 Wright may not have taken the traditional academy route, but since his arrival, the throwback No 9, who combines aggression with clever movement and an eye for goal, has impressed those at the club. — Andy Jones, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2026 The Vikings avoided a colossal mistake in the fourth quarter when Justin Jefferson's throwback near midfield was nearly swiped by the Saints. — CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for throwback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for throwback
  1. fogy
  2. return
  3. fossil
  4. fall
  5. old-timer
  6. decline
  7. has-been
  8. degenerate
Noun
  • There’s no old fogey-ness to Lorne.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
  • For the benefit of us old fogies?
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
Definition of fogy
Verb
  • In the city of Hurricane in far southwestern Utah, a shipping container drifting down a street gave way Friday to a mess of mud and debris to be cleaned up as people who had evacuated earlier in the week returned home.
    — MEAD GRUVER, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Juries returned a verdict of death for Paige Lawyer, Christopher Turner and Jason Thornburg.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of return
Noun
  • To do this, the team of researchers used fossils and knowledge of mosasaurs' most recent living relatives – snakes and lizards like the komodo dragon – to recreate the hunting behavior of mosasaurs.
    — October 16, NPR, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The discovery provides a detailed view into how the dinosaur’s body responded to injury before its death and demonstrates how neutron imaging can reveal soft tissues that are rarely preserved in fossils.
    — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of fossil
Verb
  • In most cases where the acquirer is en route to paying a price amounting to a humongous PE, the acquirer’s stock falls.
    — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The Orionid meteor shower creates one of the most brilliant displays in the night sky each fall — but this year’s celestial event may have a dimmer showing due to a bright moon.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of fall
Noun
  • There are several different subtypes of New York City Restaurant, from the humble old-timers (Katz’s, Nom Wah) to the temples of filthy lucre (Bemelmans, Rao’s).
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
  • While the boys bicker over stickball rules, old-timers Keith Hernandez, Willie Randolph and Tom Seaver argue from a stoop.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of old-timer
Verb
  • Central bank holdings at the New York Fed declined 40 tonnes in August, Goldman added, while holdings at the Bank of England rose 46 tonnes.
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • For this story, however, the district declined to comment due to Ortiz’s lawsuit, which is ongoing.
    — Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of decline
Noun
  • The manuscript Wayne read to us that night chronicled his involvement with Gloria Swanson, the towering star of Hollywood’s Golden Age who enjoyed latter-day acclaim in 1950 playing a delusional has-been in Sunset Boulevard.
    — Mike Hogan, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026
  • That career move quickly fizzled, leaving a sloppy drunk has-been in the debris.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of has-been
Verb
  • These days, oversight hearings have degenerated into partisan brawls.
    — David Wippman, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Fay degenerated on Tuesday, but by Thursday afternoon was once again a strengthening tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, moving west at 6 mph in the central Atlantic, according to the hurricane center.
    — Robin Webb, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of degenerate

Browse Nearby Words

throwaways
throwback
throw back
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Cite this Entry

“Throwback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/throwback. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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