a transition (in literary or theatrical works or films) to an earlier event or scene that interrupts the normal chronological development of the story
"The director used a sudden cut to black to create a jarring flashback that pulled the audience back to the protagonist's traumatic childhood before returning them to the present-day chase."
an unexpected but vivid recurrence of a past experience (especially a recurrence of the effects of an hallucinogenic drug taken much earlier)
"After taking the mushrooms years ago, he suffered a sudden flashback to the terrifying trip while driving home."
A dramatic device in which an earlier event is inserted into the normal chronological flow of a narrative.
"The director chose to use a flashback to reveal how the protagonist's childhood trauma shaped his adult decisions without disrupting the present-day storyline."
To undergo a flashback; to experience a vivid mental image from the past.
"The sudden scent of burnt toast triggered a sharp flashback that made her gasp and clutch the kitchen counter."