vestige

1
as in relic
a tiny often physical indication of something lost or vanished a few strange words carved on a tree were the only vestige of the lost colony of Roanoke

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2
as in footstep
the mark or impression made by a foot the fossilized vestige of a dinosaur that traversed that muddy landscape millions of years ago

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How is the word vestige distinct from other similar nouns?

The words trace and track are common synonyms of vestige. While all three words mean "a perceptible sign made by something that has passed," vestige applies to a tangible reminder such as a fragment or remnant of what is past and gone.

boulders that are vestiges of the last ice age

When could trace be used to replace vestige?

In some situations, the words trace and vestige are roughly equivalent. However, trace may suggest any line, mark, or discernible effect.

the killer left no traces

Where would track be a reasonable alternative to vestige?

While the synonyms track and vestige are close in meaning, track implies a continuous line that can be followed.

the fossilized tracks of dinosaurs

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of vestige Three weeks later, in a small office at the top of the Liver Building in which Everton have their headquarters, vestiges of that mischief dance across Sorensen’s face when this moment is recalled. Megan Feringa, New York Times, 9 June 2025 If the movies are a narrowing vestige of the monoculture, then ReelShort is the app that shows what’s flourishing in its stead: a million self-selecting microcultures. Joshua Hunt, Vulture, 5 June 2025 This was, perhaps, his last vestige of control, a trump card held against the documentarian attempting to craft his life into a narrative. Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 23 May 2025 Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5 traces the writer’s effort to complete 1984 in the late 1940s as tuberculosis took the last vestiges of his health. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for vestige
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vestige
Noun
  • Thanks to Gaia, scientists now can better gauge the amount of dark matter within our galaxy and have been able to track the Milky Way’s growth and evolution across eons via relic streams of stars strewn from ancient mergers with other, smaller galaxies.
    Lee Billings, Scientific American, 18 June 2025
  • Primarily a relic of the Silent era, the technique would only be used for specific stylistic purposes today.
    Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 17 June 2025
Noun
  • Following in the footsteps of her late father, attorney Robert Kardashian Sr., Kim began a four-year apprenticeship with a firm in San Francisco to pursue her law degree.
    Maria Yagoda, People.com, 21 June 2025
  • Leo is also following in the footsteps of his namesake, Leo XIII, who advocated for better working conditions during a period of rapid industrialization in the late 19th century and early 20th century.
    Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • As land and sea collapse, a mother and her son resist in their own ways, holding on to the fading traces of home, memory, and love.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 24 June 2025
  • Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until traces of the whisk appear.
    Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • The partnership not only amplifies Levi’s presence under the same roof as high-end labels like Prada and Brunello Cucinelli but also supports the brand’s ongoing efforts to expand its footprint in Canada.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 27 June 2025
  • Over the past two seasons, few position groups have left as large a footprint in Columbia as Missouri’s wide receivers.
    Zach Sweet, Kansas City Star, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • The researchers used remnants of coral species that only live in shallows very near the sea surface.
    David Bressan, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
  • Those precious sticky sheets can be used up very quickly when trying to pick up the remnants of the ride with your pet.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 18 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Vestige.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vestige. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

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