as in archaic
formal
very primitive
—used to describe feelings or qualities that human beings have had from the earliest times
atavistic instincts reverting to atavistic behavior
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atavistic
Adjective
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The chain gang will still be on the field as a backup option, but the archaic measuring system will no longer be the primary way to determine a first down or not on close plays.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025 -
That would have been necessary in the technologically archaic Cohen building — absent the existential question now hovering over the networks.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The spokesperson highlighted the two national historical parks named for Tubman.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2025
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Canada's historical crime series, which airs on Ovation TV in the U.S., is set in the early 20th century and follows the investigative work of Toronto police force detective William Murdoch (played by actor Yannick Bisson).—
Dave Quinn,
People.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Incorporate grandiose accents like opulent chandeliers, old-world upholstery, and ornate picture frames.—
Isabella Milano,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Apr. 2025
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The oversized pendant lights, sourced from Jamb, add a touch of old-world charm, complementing the rustic wood beams overhead.—
Kristen Flanagan,
Architectural Digest,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Not least the outmoded idea that Republicans, when in power, shouldn’t use every available lever to implement their agenda.—
Varad Mehta,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
7 Mar. 2025
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The 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law allocated $1 billion in funding to municipal gas utilities to fund the replacement and upgrading of their outmoded infrastructure.—
Dawn White,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Agility: The Ultimate Competitive Edge Five-year strategic plans are relics of a bygone era.—
Izabela Lundberg,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
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Mariah remix is making — stamps it to an era of millennials and Gen X–ers pining for bygone culture, while zoomers discover and distort their parents’ favorites.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Catalogs of data like mine abound in Netflix viewing histories, prehistoric Facebook posts, and, now, dialogues with ChatGPT—imprints of the way the web informs and commoditizes work and friendship, sorrow and joy.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2025
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Every year, more than one million tourists and Southern California locals stream through the La Brea Tar Pits and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, taking in prehistoric fossils and centuries-old artifacts.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In 2018, Russia blamed Israel for an incident in which an antiquated Syrian S-200 anti-aircraft missile destroyed a Russian military transport while targeting Israeli fighter jets, killing all 15 Russian personnel aboard.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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Too many fouls, not enough freedom for creativity and an antiquated two halves format have kept him from diving in.—
C.J. Doon,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The historic program last won the title in 2016, led by MVP Breanna Stewart.—
Allison Smith,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
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These have included exhibits about the Mayan people, the experiences of undocumented migrants who crossed the Sonoran Desert from Mexico, Islamic fashion and Indiana’s historic Angel Mounds, which are the remains of Native American villages dating from the 10th to 13th centuries.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Atavistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atavistic. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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