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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of throwback
Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 8 June 2026
Those throwback shoes added an effortlessly cool feel to her simple outfit, and confirmed that canvas sneakers still deserve a spot in your wardrobe.
—Kaelin Dodge, InStyle, 8 June 2026
The most popular choice among readers was a throwback to Sacramento’s baseball history.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026
This year’s squad could be a throwback to that ’21-22 team, which relied heavily on offensive rebounding and max effort.
—Cj Moore
june 2, New York Times, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for throwback
Noun
From the v-neck to the thumbhole sleeves, throwback stirrup pants, tech-y tubing and Prada's signature red stripe, this thing looks cool.
—Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 8 June 2026
Those throwback shoes added an effortlessly cool feel to her simple outfit, and confirmed that canvas sneakers still deserve a spot in your wardrobe.
—Kaelin Dodge, InStyle, 8 June 2026
The most popular choice among readers was a throwback to Sacramento’s baseball history.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026
This year’s squad could be a throwback to that ’21-22 team, which relied heavily on offensive rebounding and max effort.
—Cj Moore
june 2, New York Times, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for throwback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for throwback
Noun
-
Old fogey-ish, ungrateful and stupid.—
Katie Hafner,
Scientific American,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Her book reaches here and there toward modernity, with references to Bloomsbury and Joyce and Proust, but The New Yorker’s first literary list, while wanting to appear respectful and non-fogy-like toward innovation, gives modernism little real support.—
Thomas Mallon,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
Verb
-
James also did not return a phone call seeking comment.—
Peter D'Oench,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
-
One day, a fellow hotel guest returned from a fishing trip with two tuna in their hands.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
Noun
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The plateau reflects how China’s record-setting build-out of wind and solar power and rapid expansion into electric vehicles has tempered fossil-fuel emissions, according to the nonprofit Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
4 Dec. 2025
-
Clear tail drags are extremely rare in the fossil record and often disputed, because of how open to interpretation partial marks are – unlike here.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The Cougars fell 34-7 to the Red Raiders in their championship game, a slightly larger margin of defeat than Alabama’s 21-point loss to the Bulldogs.—
Jordy Fee-Platt,
New York Times,
8 Dec. 2025
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Cronin highlighted the fact that in his team-high 38 minutes, Dent did a lot to wear down Ducks defenders – whether or not his shots were falling, as fickle as shots can be.—
Mirjam Swanson,
Oc Register,
7 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Shildt was an old-timer, relying more on feel and instinct than the cellar-dwelling nerds who run the sport with impossible numbers that don’t mean a damn thing.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Oct. 2025
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California’s vulnerable House Republicans are a diverse gaggle that includes new blood and old-timers, a Trump antagonist and a Trump lickspittle.—
Michelle Cottle,
Mercury News,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Ohtani declined a post-game interview request Thursday.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
12 June 2026
-
All declined, citing privacy laws concerning minors.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
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
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Ken Blake Brea Sorry to see Jerry Neuheisel leave UCLA to join traitor and coaching has-been Chip Kelly at Northwestern.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
McFarland found the items inside a degenerating family trunk.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Murderous encounters dating to the Risdon Cove settlement eventually degenerated into the Black War (1804–30), a period of great physical conflict between the Aboriginal population and European settlers.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Throwback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/throwback. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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