1
as in to define
to draw or make apparent the outline of
trace your hand onto this piece of paper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to track
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 trail
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 road
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 path
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 relic
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 shred
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 hint
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of trace
Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026
The tiny pieces of bling can be traced at least back to King Tut, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
—Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News, 28 Mar. 2026
Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 27 Mar. 2026
With traces of the trap titans that paved the way, Kushington’s motivational raps filled his trapper-friendly The Streets Is Yours debut project, which arrived last March.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trace
Verb
Finding an invisible engine The mystery traces back to observations made by NASA’s Cassini in 2004, which suggested Saturn’s rotation rate was changing over time.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026
The tiny pieces of bling can be traced at least back to King Tut, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
—Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News, 28 Mar. 2026
Noun
Scientists are still investigating what ultimately happened to Chrysalis' surviving core, and whether debris from the event may have left traces elsewhere in Saturn's system — such as unusual impact features on icy moons that could perhaps be detected by future spacecraft.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 27 Mar. 2026
With traces of the trap titans that paved the way, Kushington’s motivational raps filled his trapper-friendly The Streets Is Yours debut project, which arrived last March.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trace
Verb
-
Sets by Illenium, Steve Aoki, BZRP, Vintage Culture, Armin Van Buuren, Alesso, Martin Garrix, Eric Prydz, Sara Landry, Major Lazer and others highlight a night defined by big production and packed audiences.—
Miami Herald newsroom,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The girl everyone thought Vlasis was, is the pop-star Madonna who at the time was emerging as a major Hollywood It-girl, and would later become a cultural phenomenon that defined the 80s and 90s.—
Daily News,
Daily News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Meteor showers such as the Lyrids can be tracked yearly, because the debris flying through the night sky in fiery streaks is coming from the same comet.—
Hali Smith
March 31,
Idaho Statesman,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Your phone already tracks this.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Beyond Miami The financial trail does not end in South Florida.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
-
With Boston's 119-109 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Spurs (55-18) trail the Thunder (57-16) by just two games for the top spot in the Western Conference with nine games left in the regular season.—
Tom Orsborn,
San Antonio Express-News,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Rainwater tends to gather along the road edges.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Catcher Danny Jansen hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning to bust open a close game, and the Rangers held on for an 8-5 road win over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday.—
Jim Barnes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Earth catches chunks Comet from Thatcher’s debris path every year as our planet orbits the sun.—
Hali Smith
March 31,
Idaho Statesman,
31 Mar. 2026
-
And Emma herself has work through some old feelings while also navigating a rocky path to their big day that has an implosive effect for those around them.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But SROs are a relic of a different and older New York City.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Others, like the dialogue around race in casting, feel like a relic of that discourse’s peak in the 2010s.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In the harsh afternoon sun, it was deserted except for dogs dozing on the rocks, and lovers seeking a shred of privacy.—
Taran Khan,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Anyone with a shred of empathy would have a hard time understanding why a person would ever do this.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The air smells damp and jungly (in the best possible way) and is sweetened with a hint of frangipani.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Trace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trace. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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