atavism

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

His atavism came with the weekend’s most polish.

From Slate • May 30, 2023

They pick up a female Native American auto mechanic along the way, but her survival smarts, and her ethics, run up against the increasing atavism they encounter.

From New York Times • Aug. 9, 2018

In movies, food is rarely just food — it is a way of signaling obsession and atavism, consumption and desire.

From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2018

Kid jurisprudence works the same way: it’s an atavism.

From The New Yorker • Mar. 21, 2016

As if it came from an atavism deeper than fear, I used to add “brother” silently to boys’ names.

From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston