flashback
Syllables: flash·back/ˈflæʃ.bæk/
flashback noun: a dramatic device in which an earlier event is inserted into the normal chronological flow of a narrative.
Noun
flashback (plural flashbacks)
- A dramatic device in which an earlier event is inserted into the normal chronological flow of a narrative.
- Synonyms:
- analepsis
- A vivid mental image of a past trauma or other sensation that the trauma is happening in the present, especially one that recurs.
- Something that evokes old memories; a throwback.
- We danced fast to Martha and the Vandellas, Supremes or even the Beach Boys. Slow to Dusty Springfield or Righteous Brothers (how's that for a heavy flash back?)1971, Georgia Strait, “The Gay Ghetto”, in Body Politic, number 1, page 17
- A similar recurrence of the effects of a hallucinogenic drug.
- Maude Lebowski: What do you do for recreation? / The Dude: Oh, the usual. I bowl. Drive around. The occasional acid flashback.1998, Joel and Ethan Coen, The Big Lebowski (motion picture)
- The condition of the flame propagating down the hose of an oxy-fuel welding system.
- A query that operates against data from an earlier time, before it was changed.
- As noted, that method provides limited support for multi-table flashbacks.2004, Kevin Loney, Oracle Database 10g The Complete Reference, page 497
- […] less used and specialized types of queries, including composite queries, hierarchical queries, version flashbacks, and parallel queries.2004, Gavin J. T. Powell, Carol McCullough-Dieter, Oracle SQL: Jumpstart with Examples, page xxv
Verb
flashback (third-person singular simple present flashbacks, present participle flashbacking, simple past and past participle flashbacked)
- To undergo a flashback; to experience a vivid mental image from the past.
- Synonyms:
- flash back
flashback meaning in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and Urdu
flashback in Hindi
- फ़्लैशबैक, फ्लैशबैक, फ़्लैशबैकिंग
flashback in Tamil
- ஃப்ளாஷ்பேக், ஃபிளாஷ்பேக், ஃப்ளாஷ் பேக்
flashback in Marathi
- फ्लॅशबॅक, फ्लॅशबाॅक, फ्लॅशबॅकिंग
flashback in Urdu
- فلیش بیک, فلاش بیک, فلیش بیک کرنا
More languagesFewer languages
- flashback in Bengali
- ফ্ল্যাশব্যাক, ফ্ল্যাশব্যাকিং, ফ্ল্যাশব্যাক করতে
- flashback in Telugu
- ఫ్లాష్బ్యాక్, ఫ్లాష్ బ్యాక్, ఫ్లాష్ బ్యాకింగ్
- flashback in Malayalam
- ഫ്ലാഷ്ബാക്ക് phlāṣbākkŭ
- flashback in Kannada
- ಹಿನ್ನೋಟದ ನಿರೂಪಣೆ, ಮರುಕಳಿಕೆ, ಪುನರಾವರ್ತನೆ, ಹಿನ್ನೋಟ
- flashback in Punjabi
- ਫਲੈਸ਼ਬੈਕ, ਫਲੈਸ਼ਬੈੱਕ, ਫ਼ਲੈਸ਼ਬੈਕ
- flashback in Gujarati
- ફ્લેશબેક, ફ્લેશબેકિંગ, ફ્લૅશબેકિંગ
- flashback in Odia
- ଫ୍ଲାସବ୍ଯ଼ାକ୍, ଫ୍ଲାଶବ୍ଯ଼ାକ୍, ଫ୍ଲାସ୍ବ୍ଯ଼ାକ୍
- flashback in Nepali
- फ्ल्यासब्याक, फ्ल्याशब्याक, फ्ल्यासब्याकिङ
- flashback in Malay
- imbas kembali
- flashback in Indonesian
- kilas balik, sorot balik
- flashback in Persian
- فلاشبک flâšbak
Examples of flashback in a sentence
- Although not strictly in medias res, the film uses flashbacks extensively.
- Her new film is an abstract piece, combining elements of magic realism, flashbacks, and animation but with very little in terms of plot construction.
- In flashback, we see Dumont hire Verin to ghost-write some pacifistic essays for publication.
Synonyms of flashback
Forms of flashback
| Noun | |
|---|---|
| plural | flashbacks |
| Verb | |
| third-person singular present | flashbacks |
| present participle | flashbacking |
| past participle | flashbacked |
| past | flashbacked |
Origin of flashback
From flash + back.
Words formed from flashback
- flashback arrestor
- antiflashback
- dead wife flashback
- Vietnam flashback
Questions about flashback
- What does flashback mean?
- Flashback means a dramatic device in which an earlier event is inserted into the normal chronological flow of a narrative.
- What is flashback in Hindi?
- Flashback in Hindi is फ़्लैशबैक, फ्लैशबैक, फ़्लैशबैकिंग. See Flashback meaning in Hindi.
- What part of speech is flashback?
- Flashback can be a noun or a verb.
- How do you pronounce flashback?
- Flashback is pronounced /ˈflæʃ.bæk/.
- What is the plural of flashback?
- The plural of flashback is flashbacks.
Words near flashback in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: flashback (page history and authors); flashback (Hindi, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); flashback (Tamil, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); flashback (Marathi, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); flashback (Urdu, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); flashback (Bengali, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); flashback (Telugu, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); ഫ്ലാഷ്ബാക്ക് (Malayalam) (page history and authors); flashback (Kannada Wiktionary) (page history and authors); flashback (Punjabi, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); flashback (Gujarati, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); flashback (Odia, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); flashback (Nepali, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
Last updated:
Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-flashback.wav.
Cite this entry: “flashback.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/flashback. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.