Synonyms for

Flashbacks

Verb / ˈflæˌʃbæks / Another word for flashbacks — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

A sudden and vivid memory of an event in the past, typically one that was traumatic or disturbing.

Synonyms & similar words

flashforward flashback recollection memory reminiscence echo afterimage remembrance trace impression reminder residue echoes memories reminiscences afterimages remembrances traces impressions reminders residues shadow

Synonyms by register

Formal

recollection reminiscence retrospection

Informal

memory lane remembering harking back

Literary

anamnesis evocation reverie

Antonyms

forgetting oblivion amnesia ignorance unawareness future premonition

Common collocations

  • experience flashbacks
  • suffer flashbacks
  • have flashbacks
  • trigger flashbacks
  • vivid flashbacks
  • traumatic flashbacks
  • sudden flashbacks
  • recurring flashbacks

Word family

noun flashback
verb flash back

Usage note

Flashbacks typically refer to sudden, intrusive memories of past events, often traumatic, experienced by someone. It is commonly used in psychological and literary contexts.

Example sentences

  1. The character in the movie had flashbacks of her childhood.
  2. The accident caused him to have flashbacks of the crash.
  3. I sometimes have flashbacks of my wedding day.
  4. She experienced flashbacks of the abuse she suffered.
  5. The smell of the ocean gave him flashbacks of his childhood summers.

Quotes

  • "The past beats inside me like a second heart." - John Banville
  • "There is no future without a past, because what is to be cannot be imagined except as a form of repetition." - Siri Hustvedt
  • "The past is always tense, the future perfect." - Zadie Smith

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