atavism

noun

Definition of atavismnext
as in relapse

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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 atavism Is my interest in the moon some dormant atavism from a more primitive era of human life? — Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Oct. 2022 Early on, these doctors-cum-criminal-profilers explained bad apples through theories such as atavism. — WIRED, 21 Feb. 2023 Their success depends on a careful combination of atavism and innovation. — David George Haskell, Big Think, 27 Mar. 2026 Millet plays with the title and with the idea of atavism, in which an ancient trait asserts itself by skipping forward a few generations to suddenly appear in the gene pool. — Heather Scott Partington, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025 Western elites believed that in the twenty-first century, cosmopolitanism and globalism would triumph over atavism and tribal loyalties. — Walter Russell Mead, Foreign Affairs, 20 Jan. 2017 If learning and gentility are signs of civilization, perhaps our almost-big brains are straining against their residual atavism, struggling to expand. — Richard Granger, Discover Magazine, 31 Oct. 2022 Karp’s ideological atavism is all too typical of the current bent of Silicon Valley. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 15 June 2026 Such atavism couldn’t be further from Alexandre Estrela’s technological vision. — Pablo Larios, Artforum, 10 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atavism
  1. relapse
  2. return
  3. reversion
  4. regression
  5. lapse
  6. retrogression
Noun
  • Individuals with weak immune systems are at higher risk for prolonged illness and relapses of symptoms.
    — Caroline Kee, NBC news, 3 July 2026
  • The news agency didn't give a cause of death, but said the 70-year-old Lam had a cancer relapse last year and was admitted to MacKay Memorial Hospital in Taipei on Tuesday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Definition of relapse
Noun
  • Even when Fried and Rodón return, both have injury histories that don’t inspire confidence.
    — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • Maiara Niehues extended her scoring streak to three games, and Sveindís Jónsdóttir scored in her return from injury to give Angel City FC a 2-0 win over the Orlando Pride on Friday night at BMO Stadium.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of return
Noun
  • The tradwife trend is controversial in that it is seen by some as a rejection of feminism and a reversion to a seemingly simpler time.
    — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 June 2026
  • No photos have been revealed yet for next year’s release, but the reversion to the name Super Freak suggests the original details should return as well.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 9 June 2026
Definition of reversion
Noun
  • Economic progress slows when that guarantee is taken away, as Hong Kong has witnessed in its sad regression from the promises of an independent judiciary made in 1997.
    — Tom Campbell, Oc Register, 4 July 2026
  • Every new line affects future releases, security reviews, onboarding, documentation, regression testing, infrastructure cost and customer support.
    — Muhammad Muzammil Rawjani, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of regression
Noun
  • Health policy experts said the drop-off is the clearest sign yet that the lapse of federal subsidies for ACA premiums is making insurance too expensive for many Americans, leading many households to drop their coverage.
    — Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 3 July 2026
  • Attorney General Raúl Torrez said the circumstances were tied to lapses in decision-making and oversight at the Children, Youth and Families Department.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Definition of lapse
Noun
  • This book is all about the fight to stem the tide of retrogression.
    — Ken Makin, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Nov. 2025
  • Visa retrogression might become more of an issue for Indian and Chinese applicants who invest under the high-unemployment category due to its more limited availability.
    — Sam Silverman, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of retrogression

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at any rate
atavism
atavisms
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Cite this Entry

“Atavism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atavism. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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