throwback

1 of 2

noun

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

throw back

2 of 2

verb

threw back; thrown back; throwing back; throws back

transitive verb

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

3

: reflect

intransitive verb

: to revert to an earlier type or phase

Examples of throwback in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The film is meant to be the sort of biblical throwback that was a steady part of folks’ moviegoing diet in the 1950s and 1960s, albeit updated with a lot more gore, decapitations, and disembowelments. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2024

The only Scott film to win Best Picture — he’s never won Best Director, losing this time to Traffic director Steven Soderbergh — Gladiator is a throwback to giant sword-and-sandal spectacles like Ben-Hur and Spartacus, updated for the age of CGI. —Scott Tobias, Vulture, 20 Nov. 2024

Verb

Joan throws back the sparkling wine amid the awkwardness. —Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 17 Oct. 2024

In her videos, the musician can be seen wearing all-black clothes, playing the banjo, throwing back cans of Dr. Pepper, and sometimes speaking directly to the camera about issues such as the boundaries of Appalachia or the war in Gaza. —G. Samantha Rosenthal, Them, 3 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 2b

Verb

1656, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Kids 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