1
as in outlines
to draw or make apparent the outline of
trace your hand onto this piece of paper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in tracks
to go after or on the track of
police traced the burglar back to his apartment, where they discovered a ton of stolen loot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in trails
a mark or series of marks left on a surface by something that has passed along it
the wolf came and went without leaving a trace on the hard, dry ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in streets
a passage cleared for public vehicular travel
an old trace that dates back to the days of the covered wagon
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in paths
a rough course or way formed by or as if by repeated footsteps
stay on the trace, or you'll get lost in these thick woods
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in relics
a tiny often physical indication of something lost or vanished
a ship that appears to have vanished without a trace on the high seas
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in glimmers
a very small amount
doctors detected only a trace of bacteria in the blood sample but put the patient on antibiotics just in case
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in hints
an almost imperceptible sign of something
there didn't seem to be so much as a trace of the truth to anything he said
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in footsteps
the mark or impression made by a foot
followed the traces of the deer into the deep woods
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of traces
Tamara Hinson, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2026
But the exchange, which traces its roots back to 1698, was already a smaller contributor to the group’s revenues than its name suggests, and Schwimmer set out to turn LSEG into a leading global provider of high-value financial information.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 27 Mar. 2026
The format exploded after TikTok user Vega posted this dance video, though the concept traces back to an animation created by TikTok user Horiandru.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Mar. 2026
How a 2008 Track Took Over TikTok The viral moment traces back to a specific chain of creativity on the platform.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026
The show’s unflinching exploration of human nature traces back to visionary British television producer Charlie Parsons.
—Pamela Chelin, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
The series traces the development of this corporate culture from the 1970s, running like a red thread through the history of the bank and showing how the unexpected end was unavoidable.
—Ed Meza, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026
The surge in mining activity traces back in part to a 2015 government decree creating the Orinoco Mining Arc, a vast mineral exploitation zone that sparked a gold rush reminiscent of California’s in the mid-1800s.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2026
Alliance for Global Justice traces its roots back to efforts to raise money in the late 1970s to support socialist Sandinista revolutionaries in Nicaragua.
—Brianna Bailey, The Frontier, 24 Mar. 2026
Kirsty Hatcher, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
Accompanied by a poppy, girl power-friendly soundtrack, The Testaments is a coming-of-age series composed of pieces that will be familiar to fans of the genre, with traces of Blume and Mean Girls and The Baby-Sitters Club and more.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2026
Before the fossils discovered in China, scientists saw traces of this symmetric body type in fossil tracks, but not the critters themselves.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Opened in late 2016, the Hewing occupies the historic Jackson Building, built in 1897 as a warehouse for timber traveling the Mississippi River and showroom for farm equipment—traces of the past can still be seen in what is otherwise a thoroughly contemporary, and endearingly Minnesotan hotel.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
Like Colleen, Giurgis’ adaptation is allergic to the faintest traces of sincerity or urgency.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Lead researcher and Federal University of Paraná biologist Natascha Wosnick told Science News currents could have transported drug traces from sewage or other sources — but divers are the more likely source.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026
The works retain visible traces of labor—knots, frayed edges, layered threads—emphasizing the physical act of making.
—Olga Garcia-Mayoral, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Today, very few traces of it remain.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 22 Mar. 2026
Verb
Built in 1919 by two French architects, it’s stuffed full of artefacts relating to the Cham, a seafaring Vietnamese ethnic group which traces its roots back to the fourth century.
—Tamara Hinson, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2026
But the exchange, which traces its roots back to 1698, was already a smaller contributor to the group’s revenues than its name suggests, and Schwimmer set out to turn LSEG into a leading global provider of high-value financial information.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 27 Mar. 2026
The format exploded after TikTok user Vega posted this dance video, though the concept traces back to an animation created by TikTok user Horiandru.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Mar. 2026
How a 2008 Track Took Over TikTok The viral moment traces back to a specific chain of creativity on the platform.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026
The show’s unflinching exploration of human nature traces back to visionary British television producer Charlie Parsons.
—Pamela Chelin, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
The series traces the development of this corporate culture from the 1970s, running like a red thread through the history of the bank and showing how the unexpected end was unavoidable.
—Ed Meza, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026
The surge in mining activity traces back in part to a 2015 government decree creating the Orinoco Mining Arc, a vast mineral exploitation zone that sparked a gold rush reminiscent of California’s in the mid-1800s.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2026
Alliance for Global Justice traces its roots back to efforts to raise money in the late 1970s to support socialist Sandinista revolutionaries in Nicaragua.
—Brianna Bailey, The Frontier, 24 Mar. 2026
Noun
Per Corriere della Sera, traces of ricin were found in the blood of the two women as well as in Di Ielsi's hair.
—Kirsty Hatcher, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
Accompanied by a poppy, girl power-friendly soundtrack, The Testaments is a coming-of-age series composed of pieces that will be familiar to fans of the genre, with traces of Blume and Mean Girls and The Baby-Sitters Club and more.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2026
Before the fossils discovered in China, scientists saw traces of this symmetric body type in fossil tracks, but not the critters themselves.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Opened in late 2016, the Hewing occupies the historic Jackson Building, built in 1897 as a warehouse for timber traveling the Mississippi River and showroom for farm equipment—traces of the past can still be seen in what is otherwise a thoroughly contemporary, and endearingly Minnesotan hotel.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
Like Colleen, Giurgis’ adaptation is allergic to the faintest traces of sincerity or urgency.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Lead researcher and Federal University of Paraná biologist Natascha Wosnick told Science News currents could have transported drug traces from sewage or other sources — but divers are the more likely source.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026
The works retain visible traces of labor—knots, frayed edges, layered threads—emphasizing the physical act of making.
—Olga Garcia-Mayoral, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Today, very few traces of it remain.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 22 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for traces
Verb
-
This report outlines the plant’s design, location, and safety systems.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Alexander outlines a process that includes planning, sourcing materials, building components and refining details.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
See hummingbird migration map Hummingbird Central tracks hummingbirds across the country and has published an interactive hummingbird migration map for 2026.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Future research that tracks insurance continuously throughout treatment, standardizes how coverage is categorized and examines specific cancer types and age subgroups in greater depth could clarify the picture further.—
Rhonda Winegar,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
From Sirena, your guide will lead you along trails through the secondary forest, tailoring the route to get a glimpse of the wildlife.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Others got their hands dirty by planting trees, painting murals or picking up trash along park trails.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In a post on X earlier that day, LAPD said protesters along Alameda Street between Aliso and Temple streets had been warned multiple times by federal authorities not to attempt to tear down a gate or throw objects.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
-
But the new driverless Ubers won’t be on Miami streets immediately.—
Michael Butler,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Many states treat these bikes like motorcycles, so they’re not allowed on sidewalks or paths, but in some states there are no specific rules for the ultra-fast bikes.—
Sarah Raza,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The Boston bats erased themselves from the base paths inning after inning.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Hartford Courant,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
These virtues are not irrelevant relics.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Those decisions suggest some automakers are starting to treat physical controls not as outdated relics but as useful tools.—
Chris Teague,
AJC.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But there are glimmers of hope beyond the carnage, too.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Following three straight 100-loss seasons that led to a front-office house cleaning, Rockies fans are peering down the road for glimmers of hope.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Researchers are now exploring Greenland shark genetics for clues about aging, finding hints of enhanced DNA repair and cellular maintenance that could slow aging at a fundamental level.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Researchers exploring Greenland shark genetics have found hints of enhanced DNA repair and cellular maintenance that could slow aging at a fundamental level.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Traces.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/traces. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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