ENGLISH
REFERENCE

flashbacks

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈfɫæʃˌbæks// UK //flˈæʃbæks// flash·backs

n. sudden, strong memories of a past event that make you feel like it is happening again. They are often triggered by something you see, hear, or smell.

n. sudden and vivid involuntary recurrences of past experiences or memories. Often used in clinical contexts to describe symptoms of psychological trauma or as a narrative device in fiction.


SIMPLE

He still has flashbacks to the car accident.

CONTEXTUAL

The veteran experienced intense flashbacks whenever he heard loud noises that reminded him of the battlefield.

COMPLEX

The novel uses frequent flashbacks to reveal the protagonist's childhood, slowly explaining the motivations behind her current erratic behavior through a series of non-linear memories.

Synonyms
Usage

Commonly used with the preposition 'to' when identifying the specific past event.

© 2026 English Reference