track

1 of 2

noun

1
: a footprint whether recent or fossil
the huge track of a dinosaur
2
a
: detectable evidence (such as the wake of a ship, a line of footprints, or a wheel rut) that something has passed
b
: a path made by or as if by repeated footfalls : trail
c
: a course laid out especially for racing
d
: the parallel rails of a railroad
e(1)
: material recorded especially on or as if on a track
instrumental tracks
a bonus commentary track on a DVD
(2)
: one of a series of parallel or concentric paths along which material (such as music or information) is recorded (as on a phonograph record or magnetic tape)
(3)
: a group of grooves on a phonograph record containing recorded sound
f
: a usually metal way (such as a groove) serving as a guide (as for a movable lighting fixture)
3
a
: a sequence of events : a train of ideas : succession
b
: an awareness of a fact, progression, or condition
keep track of the costs
lose track of the time
4
: track-and-field sports
especially : those performed on a running track
5
a
: the course along which something moves or progresses
b
: a way of life, conduct, or action
c
: one of several curricula of study to which students are assigned according to their needs or levels of ability
d
: the projection on the earth's surface of the path along which something (such as a missile or an airplane) has flown
6
a
: the width of a wheeled vehicle from wheel to wheel and usually from the outside of the rims
b
: the tread of an automobile tire
c
: either of two endless belts on which a tracklaying vehicle travels
trackless adjective

track

2 of 2

verb

tracked; tracking; tracks

transitive verb

1
a
: to follow the tracks or traces of : trail
b
: to search for by following evidence until found
track down the source
2
a
: to follow by vestiges : trace
b
: to observe or plot the moving path of (something, such as a spacecraft or missile) often instrumentally
3
a
: to carry (mud or other material) on the feet and deposit
tracking mud into the kitchen
b
: to make tracks upon
4
: to keep track of (something, such as a trend) : follow
5
: to travel over : traverse
track a desert

intransitive verb

1
: travel
a comet tracking eastward
2
a of a pair of wheels
(1)
: to maintain a constant distance apart on the straightaway
(2)
: to fit a track or rails
b
of a rear wheel of a vehicle : to follow accurately the corresponding fore wheel on a straightaway
c
of a phonograph needle : to follow the groove undulations of a recording
3
: to leave tracks (as on a floor)
tracker noun
Phrases
in one's tracks
: where one stands or is at the moment : on the spot
was stopped in his tracks
on track
: achieving or doing what is necessary or expected
Choose the Right Synonym for track

trace, vestige, track mean a perceptible sign made by something that has passed.

trace may suggest any line, mark, or discernible effect.

the killer left no traces

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

track implies a continuous line that can be followed.

the fossilized tracks of dinosaurs

Examples of track in a Sentence

Noun Follow the track into the forest. We were warned about walking beside the railroad tracks. Verb He tracked the deer for a mile. The detectives tracked the killer to Arizona. The ship can track incoming missiles with radar. Meteorologists are tracking the storm. The study tracked the patients over the course of five years. The squadron will track north by northeast for 40 miles. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The new track is an alt-rock song that’s dying to be screamed along to, with its blaring chorus and Barker’s signature sharp percussion. Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 23 Sep. 2023 The track features the group’s five original members—singer Ramesh Srivastava, bassist Jason Chronis, drummer Matt Simon, guitarist Mitch Calvert, and multi-instrumentalist Jared Van Fleet. Evan Minsker, Pitchfork, 22 Sep. 2023 The track debuted and peaked at No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100, and its music video — which previewed the era’s overarching horror aesthetic — picked up six nominations at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, ultimately winning best art direction. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 22 Sep. 2023 This week, Doja Cat shows a softer side on the fifth single off her new album, Kylie Minogue delivers explosive dance-pop, and Blink-182 get existential on their first track with guitarist Tom DeLonge in over a decade. Rolling Stone, 22 Sep. 2023 The track is an ode to the incomparable Quincy Jones, and samples Michael Jackson’s 1979 album, Off The Wall. Felice León, Essence, 22 Sep. 2023 The track won him the best Punjabi vocalist at the PTC Punjabi Music Awards in 2019. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Sep. 2023 The storm track should help push water into the bay, causing a surge of water to push high tides as much as two feet higher than normal. Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023 Intel also confirmed that Lunar Lake is on track to release in 2024. Monica Chin, The Verge, 21 Sep. 2023
Verb
Western officials and security experts said the phenomenon is being driven by forces ranging from resurgent authoritarianism in dozens of countries to the spread of technologies that enable repressive governments to track and target dissidents abroad. Greg Miller, Washington Post, 23 Sep. 2023 And even while researchers try to track it, the calendar of human fertility has been changing. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2023 The Reserve Bank of Australia estimates the jobless rate, which is tracking at 3.7%, would need to rise to around 4.5% to help return inflation to its target band of 2%-3%. Fox News, 22 Sep. 2023 Regulators, airlines, and parts suppliers around the world are scrambling to track down possible bogus parts as the AOG Technics scandal spreads from the U.S. all the way to Australia. Bypaolo Confino, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2023 Many believe the movie will approach or cross $100 million in its launch — one source even suggests $125 million — and note that tracking an offering like this is difficult since concert films aren’t the norm. Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Sep. 2023 Guts’ vinyl sales mark the seventh-largest week for a vinyl album since Luminate began electronically tracking sales in 1991. Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 21 Sep. 2023 The organization released its latest analysis of book bans at America’s public schools Thursday, which tracked more than 3,000 instances across 33 states. Nicole Chavez, CNN, 21 Sep. 2023 After tracking the count on each charge, Paxton took off her reading glasses and rested her chin on her hand. Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'track.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English trak, from Middle French trac

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Verb

1565, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of track was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near track

Cite this Entry

“Track.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/track. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

track

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: a mark left by something that has gone by
c
: a path along which something is recorded (as on magnetic tape)
2
a
: a course laid out for racing
b
: the parallel rails of a railroad
3
: the course along which something moves or progresses
4
: awareness of things or the order in which things happen or ideas come
lose track of the time
keep track of expenses
5
: either of two continuous metal belts on which a vehicle (as a tank or bulldozer) travels
6
: track-and-field sports
especially : those performed on a running track
trackless adjective

track

2 of 2 verb
1
a
: to follow the tracks or traces of : trail
track a deer
b
: to search for until found
tracking down the causes of cancer
2
: to observe the moving path of
track a missile with radar
3
: to make tracks upon or with
track up the floor
track mud all over the floor
tracker noun

More from Merriam-Webster on track

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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