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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Yes, the three-month visa and its archaic application portal deter some travelers, but spending a few months in Hoi An or Hanoi is well worth the hassle.—
Katie Lockhart,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Feb. 2025 -
After federal and Senate investigations detailed numerous failures, including an archaic information technology system, the Health Resources and Services Administration announced a modernization initiative in March 2023.—
Annie Waldman,
ProPublica,
22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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And with good reason: His performance as a Jewish Hungarian architect lost in postwar America seemed to embody a whole historical era.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
2 Mar. 2025
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The beadwork and design features of each suit are intentionally placed to convey a unique visual story that reflects a common historical thread.—
Martie Bowser,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The resurgence of tea culture is nostalgia for old-world elegance and a modern craving for indulgent and transportive experiences.—
Jordi Lippe-McGraw,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
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Best show format: Richard Quinn’s snowy Georgian mansion, Connor Ives’ intimate setting with old-world model posing and Erdem’s night at the British Museum were each uniquely transformative and brand appropriate.—
Tianwei Zhang,
WWD,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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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
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Instead of using this opportunity to make Bond a more inclusive franchise, Bezos could very well lean into the franchise’s outmoded machismo, returning Bond to an aggressive womanizer and pillar of a brand of masculinity that aligns with the values of the far right.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Photo : Darin Schnabel, courtesy of RM Sotheby's The interior is evocative of a bygone era where toggle switches were standard and seat belts were optional.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
7 Mar. 2025
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Childhood under threat As a child worker, Miss Huang might seem like an uncanny ghost of a bygone era of childhood.—
Anna Mae Duane,
The Conversation,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The prehistoric markings were found in White Sands National Park by a team from Bournemouth University.—
Tessa Solomon for ARTnews,
Robb Report,
5 Mar. 2025
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Inside the Jardin des Tuileries and in time to Robert Wilson’s choreography, models walked beneath a prehistoric flying bird and enormous boulders descended from the ceiling, over hot lava projected onto the ground, and around icebergs emerging from the floor.—
Arden Fanning Andrews,
Vogue,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The focus of his business is on redefining and reforming the antiquated personal training model and replacing it with white-glove personal, professional online fitness coaching from the best expert coaches in the world.—
Matt Reynolds,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
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The excuse was that because the data management systems the EDD uses are built with antiquated programming languages, any short-term fix would be impossible.—
Jon Coupal,
Orange County Register,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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And here’s today’s e-newspaper 3 things to know before the 2025 Oscars The 97th Academy Awards airs Sunday, wrapping up an Oscars season filled with historic firsts and controversy.—
Kevinisha Walker,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Mar. 2025
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President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order on Friday that will make English the official language of the U.S., a historic first at the federal level.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Atavistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atavistic. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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