throw·back
ˈthrō-ˌbak 
1
: one that is suggestive of or suited to an earlier time or style
his manners were a throwback to a more polite era
2
a
: reversion to an earlier type or phase : atavism
b
: an instance or product of atavistic reversion
threw back; thrown back; throwing back; throws back
1
: to delay the progress or advance of : check
2
: to cause to rely : make dependent
they are thrown back upon … native intelligence—
Michael Novak
Michael Novak3
: reflect
: to revert to an earlier type or phase
Examples of throwback in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebKimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 29 June 2024
Pogacar is the child prodigy who is a throwback to a bygone era of cycling before the modern era of race specialization, when the best cyclists could win cobblestone classics, three-week Grand Tours, sprints, and every type of race in between.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 28 June 2024
Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 July 2024
At the convention, Mark heaved open a binder of original pages and was thrown back: full stories created by his uncle in the 1960s, selling for $20,000 to $30,000 per page.
—Jay Deitcher, Rolling Stone, 2 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for throwback 
Noun
The second photo is a throwback of when Ricki was a preteen.
—Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 29 June 2024
Pogacar is the child prodigy who is a throwback to a bygone era of cycling before the modern era of race specialization, when the best cyclists could win cobblestone classics, three-week Grand Tours, sprints, and every type of race in between.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 28 June 2024
Verb
The Esplanade's Night Shift Beer Garden is a prime spot from which to view the fireworks and throw back a few craft brews.
—Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 July 2024
At the convention, Mark heaved open a binder of original pages and was thrown back: full stories created by his uncle in the 1960s, selling for $20,000 to $30,000 per page.
—Jay Deitcher, Rolling Stone, 2 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for throwback
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'throwback.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Throwback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/throwback. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
throwback
noun
throw·back
ˈthrō-ˌbak
: something that has changed back to an earlier type or phase
Medical Definition
throwback
noun
throw·back
ˈthrō-ˌbak
1
: reversion to an earlier type or phase : atavism
2
: an instance or product of atavistic reversion
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