How to use flashback in a sentence

11 example sentences · noun, verb

Flashback means a dramatic device in which an earlier event is inserted into the normal chronological flow of a narrative. Example: “Although not strictly in medias res, the film uses flashbacks extensively.”

Examples of flashback by meaning

nounA similar recurrence of the effects of a hallucinogenic drug.

The occasional acid flashback.1998, Joel and Ethan Coen, The Big Lebowski (motion picture)

nounA 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

More sentences with flashback

Although not strictly in medias res, the film uses flashbacks extensively.From the entry in medias res
Her new film is an abstract piece, combining elements of magic realism, flashbacks, and animation but with very little in terms of plot construction.From the entry abstract
In flashback, we see Dumont hire Verin to ghost-write some pacifistic essays for publication.2015, John T. Soister, Of Gods and Monsters. From the entry ghost-write
Walking through the halls, Mom is always, like, having a Vietnam flashback.2012, Maria Semple, Where'd You Go, Bernadette, Thorndike Press, page 65. From the entry Vietnam flashback
"Sounds like a belladonna flashback," Yolanda concluded after giving Erik a close eyeballing.2008, Yxta Maya Murray, The King's Gold: An Old World Novel of Adventure, New York, N.Y.: Harper, →ISBN, page 281. From the entry schiz
I lived in the kind of place where your neighbors are always having Vietnam flashbacks.2007, Rodney Carrington, Coming Clean, Center Street, page 15. From the entry Vietnam flashback
An opening flashback finds him midbattle, blades flying and cabernet-red blood gushing to the roar of power chords.2015 September 14, James Poniewozik, “Review: In ‘The Bastard Executioner,’ a Warrior Switches Blades”, in New York Times. From the entry midbattle
According to Nutjob, it’s because one of the Iraqi civilian women put an Ifrit curse on them before they killed her, which Terry confirms with a flashback.2012 July 9, Molly Lambert, “True Blood Season 5, Episode 5: ‘Let’s Boot and Rally’”, in Grantland, archived from the original on 22 Jan…. From the entry I can't
Essential in music videos and common in flashbacks and dream sequences, the flash cut flickers many images across the screen over a period of a second or two.2006, Chris Kenworthy, Digital Video Production Cookbook, →ISBN, page 79. From the entry flash cut

Meaning of flashback

noun A dramatic device in which an earlier event is inserted into the normal chronological flow of a narrative.
noun A vivid mental image of a past trauma or other sensation that the trauma is happening in the present, especially one that recurs.
noun Something that evokes old memories; a throwback.

Full definition of flashback

Questions about flashback in a sentence

How do you use flashback in a sentence?: Flashback is used as a noun and verb. For example: “Although not strictly in medias res, the film uses flashbacks extensively.”
What is a short sentence with flashback?: “The occasional acid 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.

Adapted from Wiktionary: flashback (page history and authors) and the entries each sentence comes from. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws chose the sentences, left out offensive ones and quotations older than 1900, and marked the word in each. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Cite this page: “How to use flashback in a sentence.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/sentences/flashback. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.