hearken back
verb
variants
or harken back
hearkened back or harkened back; hearkening back or harkening back; hearkens back or harkens back
: to go back to or recall to mind something in the past : hark back
—usually used with to
This place caters to Americans and hearkens back to days when the town attracted famous celebrities.—
Barbara Zaragoza
Barbara ZaragozaGreenberg worked very closely with the laboratory which harkened back to his earliest days in the film business …—Ron Magid
Ron MagidExamples of hearken back in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The small gap between Raleigh and Judge's homer totals hearkens back to the 1998 home run race between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 16 July 2025
All the victims were Black women, and the manner of some of their murders hearkened back to Mack’s.
—Michael Gordon, Charlotte Observer, 17 Jan. 2025
Meanwhile, Wakim’s moment in the spotlight proved why the featured player is worth keeping around, as his humor was not only biting, but incisive in a way that hearkened back to Update anchor Norm MacDonald.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 13 Apr. 2025
Attorneys for Michael Madigan opened their final bid to persuade jurors of his innocence by hearkening back to a memorable nickname for the former speaker: the Sphinx.
—Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hearken back
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Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 16 July 2025
All the victims were Black women, and the manner of some of their murders hearkened back to Mack’s.
—Michael Gordon, Charlotte Observer, 17 Jan. 2025
Meanwhile, Wakim’s moment in the spotlight proved why the featured player is worth keeping around, as his humor was not only biting, but incisive in a way that hearkened back to Update anchor Norm MacDonald.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 13 Apr. 2025
Attorneys for Michael Madigan opened their final bid to persuade jurors of his innocence by hearkening back to a memorable nickname for the former speaker: the Sphinx.
—Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hearken back
Cite this Entry
“Hearken back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hearken%20back. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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