trail 1 of 2

trail

2 of 2

verb

as in to track
to go after or on the track of we trailed our friend into the woods, inadvertently spoiling his plans for a solitary hike

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word trail distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of trail are chase, follow, and pursue. While all these words mean "to go after or on the track of something or someone," trail may stress a following of tracks or traces rather than a visible object.

trail deer
trailed a suspect across the country

When would chase be a good substitute for trail?

While in some cases nearly identical to trail, chase implies going swiftly after and trying to overtake something fleeing or running.

a dog chasing a cat

When is it sensible to use follow instead of trail?

The meanings of follow and trail largely overlap; however, follow puts less emphasis upon speed or intent to overtake.

friends followed me home in their car

Where would pursue be a reasonable alternative to trail?

The words pursue and trail can be used in similar contexts, but pursue suggests a continuing effort to overtake, reach, or attain.

pursued the criminal through narrow streets

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 trail
Noun
The trail was closed until Saturday, Sept. 27, national park rangers said. Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 28 Sep. 2025 That’s because, as Humberto shifts to steer northeast, its effect on the atmosphere around it may leave a trail that could attract the would-be storm Imelda, keeping the latter away from the East Coast. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
Meanwhile, major releases like Leonardo DiCaprio’s action thriller One Battle After Another are also trailing by significant margins. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025 The Dolphins have scored a touchdown on 80% of the offense’s trips to the red zone, trailing only the Philadelphia Eagles, which have a 100% conversion rate. Omar Kelly october 2, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for trail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trail
Noun
  • Chasing the dream — and the visa The H-1B visa fundamentally shaped her career path, Qian said.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Federal agencies are now kickstarting their shutdown contingency plans, including the scaling back of services and the furloughing of thousands of staff until Democrats and Republicans find a path forward.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The track is a synthesis of where Swift is in her life, in a pop era threaded with happiness, family and the promise of forever.
    Bryan West, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • That’s partly because, after years of living in lo-fi and recording on a four-track machine, the band can now open the doors to prestigious studios with top-dollar equipment (alongside producer Alex Farrar).
    Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • San Rafael, California — Whether battling a wildfire, chasing a suspect, or helping someone with a traumatic injury – the firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and others who take action in emergencies regularly endure high levels of stress.
    Kathleen Toner, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Still, council member Lamont Westmoreland wondered if the danger that technology presented would be less than the danger of chasing vehicles.
    David Clarey, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Create footpaths in these areas to reduce wear and damage to the lawn.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Outside of the event, wander the town’s flagstone market square or leafy Thames-side footpaths, tour the Henley Distillery, and go for a Sunday roast at the Bottle & Glass Inn.
    Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Words and images attest to the remarkable swiftness with which salmon have resumed their run, flora have blossomed, and traces of the former reservoir are being smoothed away.
    Anne Reeve, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The items offer a glimpse into Taylor, who redefined Hollywood stardom, spanning her headline-making jewels and costumes to private correspondence and traces of her activism.
    Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Aran is following in his dad’s acting footsteps Malachy and Aran have had private upbringings, but Aran chose to pursue an acting career like his father.
    Emy LaCroix, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Cuba’s leaders have pursued a slow, narrow and sometimes arbitrary path toward economic privatization – especially when contrasted with other officially communist countries in Asia.
    Joseph J. Gonzalez, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Ukraine’s model of unit-level drone academies, standardized syllabi for FPV, ISR, and loitering units, and a pipeline of instructor cadres can be adapted to Taiwan’s reserve structure and mobilization pathways.
    Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2025
  • This pathway to better understanding so many aspects of the Universe was supposed to continue, driven by new tools, superior developing technology, the next generation of scientists, and a sustained investment in the one endeavor — fundamental science — that benefits all of humankind.
    Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Now, Team Derbez is going all in on a family production company to harness the power of their collective social footprint of more than 180 million followers.
    Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
  • It's also been culling its footprint of Go cashierless convenience stores.
    Annie Palmer, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Trail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trail. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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