tracing

noun

trac·​ing ˈtrā-siŋ 

1

: something that is traced: such as

a

: a copy made on a superimposed transparent sheet

b

: a graphic record made by an instrument (such as a seismograph) that registers some movement

2

: the act of one that traces

Synonyms of tracing

• pursuit
• tracking

Examples of tracing in a Sentence

the tracing of this mountain lion is going to be difficult if the rain washes away all of the tracks

Recent Examples on the Web

Contact tracing and care are hampered by conflict, mass displacement and funding gaps, with only 4,000 of up to 35,000 contacts identified and just 84 of 540 responders deployed. —Wilson McMakin, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026

The funds would come from the Commodity Credit Corporation, a funding initiative through the federal agency, and would go toward tracing, surveying and trapping response programs for the next three years. —Lizzie Kane june 18, Sacbee.com, 18 June 2026

Contact tracing remains a concern. —Dada Jovanovic, ABC News, 15 June 2026

The key finding was that if public health interventions aren’t implemented swiftly and strongly—with contact tracing and case isolation—then the outbreak could rival or exceed the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded. —Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing tracing

• contact tracing
• ray tracing
• tracing paper
• tracing wheel

Rhymes for tracing

• basing
• bracing
• casing
• chasing
• facing
• gracing
• lacing
• lasing
• pacing
• placing
• racing
• spacing

Kids Definition

tracing

noun

trac·​ing

ˈtrā-siŋ

1

: the act of one that traces

2

: something that is traced

Medical Definition

tracing

noun

trac·​ing ˈtrā-siŋ 

: a graphic record made by an instrument (as an electrocardiograph) that registers some movement