hark back
verb
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Hark Back Got Its Start in Hunting
Hark, a very old word meaning "to listen," was used as a cry in hunting. The master of the hunt might cry "Hark! Forward!" or "Hark! Back!" The cries became set phrases, both as nouns and verbs. Thus, a "hark back" was a retracing of a route by dogs and hunters, and to "hark back" was to turn back along the path. From its use in hunting, the verb soon acquired its current figurative meanings. The variants hearken and harken (also very old words meaning “to listen”) are also used, with and without back, as synonyms of hark back.
Examples of hark back in a Sentence
Silas Morgan, Orlando Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2025
Find a vast array of tennis dresses, skirts, and sweaters that hark back to the Lacoste ethos, while feeling fresh and vibrant for today’s tennis world.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 24 Feb. 2025
Linsey harks back to Jan 5, when Gadd, the creative genius behind Baby Reindeer, was bringing down the house at the Globes.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 18 Feb. 2025
Built-in wall safes hark back to Depression-era times.
—Mike Klingaman, Baltimore Sun, 30 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Hark back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hark%20back. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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