as in fogy
a person or thing that is similar to someone or something from the past or that is suited to an earlier time
—usually + to
She's a throwback to the actresses of the 1950s. The band's music is a throwback to the 1980s.
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Recent Examples of throwback
Usa Today Network, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026
Just in Time’s a sparkling, upbeat throwback, and Francis is a first-act love interest.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026
On the very next possession, Draymond Green had his own throwback moment, forcing a turnover on the inbounds play, leading to Brandin Podziemski’s and-1 layup and a six-point lead with 46 seconds remaining.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
Just last month, the company’s broadcast syndication subsidiary, CBS Media Ventures, announced a slate of shows old and new that felt like a throwback.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for throwback
Noun
The dining rooms lean hard into an ’80s-meets-diner aesthetic with neon accents, colorful murals, throwback playlists and a playful irreverence that matches its menu.
—Usa Today Network, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026
Just in Time’s a sparkling, upbeat throwback, and Francis is a first-act love interest.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026
On the very next possession, Draymond Green had his own throwback moment, forcing a turnover on the inbounds play, leading to Brandin Podziemski’s and-1 layup and a six-point lead with 46 seconds remaining.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
Just last month, the company’s broadcast syndication subsidiary, CBS Media Ventures, announced a slate of shows old and new that felt like a throwback.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for throwback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for throwback
Noun
-
There’s no old fogey-ness to Lorne.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
20 Apr. 2026
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For the benefit of us old fogies?—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Houston has won two in a row in the series and gets to return home.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
The Artemis program aims to return American astronauts to the moon's surface for the first time since 1972.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Finding Something That Generally Doesn’t Fossilize Octopuses are notoriously difficult to study in the fossil record because their bodies are almost entirely soft tissue.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Apr. 2026
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So a creature like an octopus — which is made up of almost entirely soft tissue — has been harder to come by in the fossil record.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His portfolio fell 44% in the dot-com crash, and sustained a 40% loss in 2008.—
Terry Savage,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
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Lee then came up to the plate and fell behind in the count 1-2.—
Tony Gleason,
Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But the art of physical scorekeeping isn’t just for old-timers.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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The housing tide is shifting, and for now, the edge has gone to the stodgy old-timers.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Bovino, who led much of the immigration enforcement operation in Chicago and the suburbs, as well as in Minnesota before retiring this year amid criticism, declined to appear before the commission.—
Olivia Olander,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
The Salt Lake County district attorney’s office and the Draper City prosecutor both declined to file charges against Paul in April, citing insufficient evidence to prove allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.—
Senior Television,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
In the Seventies, he was mocked as a Vegas has-been in a jumpsuit; in the Eighties, as a cultural colonizer.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2026
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When her estranged daughter unexpectedly moves into their crumbling Manhattan townhouse, the TV has-been is confronted with the one role she’s spent her entire life avoiding: motherhood.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
McFarland found the items inside a degenerating family trunk.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Last fall, a Krousty Sabaïdi giveaway promoted by popular French influencer Fares Salvatore, who has more than 868,000 followers on TikTok, degenerated into mayhem when the call-out attracted 3,000 teenagers.—
Vivian Song,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Throwback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/throwback. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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