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
On Crenshaw Boulevard in Inglewood last Friday, green streamers hung in the air, a DJ played a mix of throwback jams and upbeat tracks, and people walked around with goodie bags. — Shi Bradley, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 But its throwback setting is also part of its appeal, Arya explains. — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026 At best, this umpteenth entry in the Statham cannon feels like a throwback to a time when all that was needed to get butts in seats was plenty of butt-kicking on screen. — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 24 Aug. 2026 McBurnie is something of a throwback; a physical target man who relishes gritty duels and aerial battles. — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 20 Aug. 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
  • Requests for comment were sent to the Red Sox and Audacy, which owns WEEI, but were not immediately returned.
    — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Day turns to night, and then day again, but John doesn’t move until Linney returns.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of return
Noun
  • For a long time, this fossil sat in museum archives under a quiet case of mistaken identity.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The team notes that since the fossil was located in an area that would have once been where water and land met, the insect's transitional habitat played a key role in its evolution.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of fossil
Verb
  • The continent's sweltering summer has meanwhile boosted demand for air conditioning and other energy-hungry appliances at a time when demand for gas, widely used for Europe's heating and cooking needs, naturally falls.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The Oscar winner paired a leopard-print Givenchy fall 2026 dress and the fashion house’s modern take on T-strap high heels.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of fall
Noun
  • Something, oh, like a roly-poly, 73-year-old manager tumbling ass over teakettle, as the old-timers say, when a bat thrown by Vladimir Guerrero clipped his left hip.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 13 July 2026
  • The three-wheelers are a far cry from the old-timers that only a year ago cruised the streets spewing clouds of black smoke.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2026
Definition of old-timer
Verb
  • However, entering June, crude prices pulled back significantly, while retail gasoline prices declined at a markedly slower pace.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • At home several center-right parties initially declined to join his coalition, illustrating the challenge of uniting the broader Brazilian right behind his candidacy.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of decline
Noun
  • Brett Goldstein’s seething has-been, Roy Kent, has replaced Ted as the men’s coach; Beard (co-creator Brendan Hunt) stuck around to assist Roy but has gone feral in the absence of his professional soulmate.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2026
  • In the Seventies, he was mocked as a Vegas has-been in a jumpsuit; in the Eighties, as a cultural colonizer.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2026
Definition of has-been
Verb
  • Dementia occurs when brain cells degenerate, especially in areas that support thinking, memory, decision-making, attention, and self-control.
    — Heidi Moawad, Verywell Health, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In the Atlantic Ocean, former Tropical Storm Cristobal weakened and degenerated into a post-tropical remnant low on Thursday, the center said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of degenerate

Browse Nearby Words

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throwback
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Cite this Entry

“Throwback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/throwback. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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