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
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Recent Examples of atavistic
To dismiss animism as ignorant, superstitious, or atavistic is to partake in modern parochialism, and this serves the interests of those who, like the tree’s killers, delight in destroying life.
—
Colin Cepuran, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Safdie perceptively locates the protagonist’s troubling inner contradictions—the atavistic fury that drives him to compete and the intense self-control that competition demands—but dramatizes such outer crises as opioid addiction and conflict with his girlfriend (Emily Blunt) only schematically.
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
Rather than conjuring a mood of bracing inexorability, this linear focus only suffocates what might be an interesting debate, as a man of the modern world weighs his values against those of a woman raised in atavistic isolation.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
The experts think fiat money is mature and serious and the gold standard cranky, weird, and atavistic.
—Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Colin Cepuran, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Safdie perceptively locates the protagonist’s troubling inner contradictions—the atavistic fury that drives him to compete and the intense self-control that competition demands—but dramatizes such outer crises as opioid addiction and conflict with his girlfriend (Emily Blunt) only schematically.
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
Rather than conjuring a mood of bracing inexorability, this linear focus only suffocates what might be an interesting debate, as a man of the modern world weighs his values against those of a woman raised in atavistic isolation.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
The experts think fiat money is mature and serious and the gold standard cranky, weird, and atavistic.
—Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atavistic
Adjective
-
Doubled down with odd and archaic roster construction.—
Jannelle Moore,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Rather remain archaic and barbaric than find a better option to give.—
Yesika Salgado,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Thousands of photographs and historical documents are stored in archives and the collections section of the museum houses an assortment of memorabilia.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
All three writers turned loving, humorous, piercing gazes on a particular place, exploring, through cycles of plays, the rich humanity and the grave historical wounds of its inhabitants.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
For old-world flavor, the Antonovka, Cox Orange Pippin, Orleans Reinette, and Seek-no-Further all shine in cider, applesauce, and pies.—
Rachel Silva,
Martha Stewart,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Helmed by Executive Chef Elly Wentworth (a one-to-watch having shimmied over from stalwart restaurant, the Angel in Dartmouth), Fowlescombe’s kitchen disregards old-world hotel dining with its stiff formalities, along with the frothy alchemy of the Michelin set.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But then, the fear that AI could render swaths of the software trade outmoded moved a wave of the savings-for-retirement crowd to demand their money back.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Jones’s novels derive much of their richness from her striking capacity to use literary and cultural tropes that may seem outmoded to new ends.—
Lily Meyer,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Quantum technologies have made those challenges and others symbols of a bygone era.—
David Awschalom,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The recipe comes from a bygone department store called Miller & Rhoads.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Because the angle of Earth‘s magnetic field varies from the poles to the equator, these minerals act as a prehistoric GPS, allowing geoscientists to pinpoint a rock’s original location on the globe and chart its journey over millions of years.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
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Rewriting the Story of Ancient Cretaceous Oceans For decades, the narrative of prehistoric oceans has centered on massive vertebrates as the dominant predators.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Here's a more recent one for you guys just to show this isn't some antiquated phenomenon.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Because New York's antiquated property tax system dramatically undervalues co-ops and condos, experts said the city will have to come up with a new system for valuing high-end second homes.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
During a time not unlike the one that ignited the historic founding of Chicano Park, thousands of people turned out Saturday at the iconic gathering space to celebrate their culture, stoke their heritage and press forward in their struggle.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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The game marks the first time an American football game is played in what is typically the home pitch of several of Brazil’s soccer clubs, including Rio’s wildly popular and historic Fluminense and Flamengo teams.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Atavistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atavistic. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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