1 C1 idiomatic formal
To evoke or refer to something from an earlier time, suggesting a connection with the past.
"Her musical style hearkens back to the jazz standards of the 1940s."
inseparable
hearken back
C1 formal inseparable intransitive
To evoke, refer to, or be reminiscent of something from the past.
In plain English
To remind you of something from the past, or to look back at an earlier time.
What does "hearken back" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To listen back (hearken = listen, in archaic English).
Actually means
To remind you of something from the past, or to look back at an earlier time.
Usage tip
Formal and somewhat archaic. More common in literary, journalistic, and political contexts than everyday speech. 'Hark back to' is the more common modern variant. 'Hearken' itself means 'to listen' in archaic English, so the phrase originally meant 'to listen back.' Always followed by 'to.'
Words that pair with "hearken back"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
to an era to a time to the past to tradition to earlier days to a simpler time
How to conjugate "hearken back"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
hearken back
I/you/we/they
3rd person
hearkens back
he/she/it
Past simple
hearkened back
yesterday
Past participle
hearkened back
have + pp
-ing form
hearkening back
continuous
Hear "hearken back" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "hearken back" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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