1
as in artifact
a tiny often physical indication of something lost or vanished
a crude stone ax and other relics of the Neanderthals
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
3
as in dinosaur
one that has passed the peak of effectiveness or popularity
his courtly manners marked him as a relic of a more refined and formal era
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of relic
When Sherlock and scholarship student James Moriarty (an exceptional Dónal Finn) are blamed, the two team up to find the relic and exonerate themselves.
—
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026
Al Gore, a liberal resident, had just become Vice-President, and the Criminal Justice Center was now seen as an embarrassing relic.
—James Verini, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
At the Rosemead temple, the teeth and finger bone relics are significantly larger than those in the average human body.
—ABC News, 1 Mar. 2026
Later commentaries describe the relics that came out of the Buddha’s ashes as glittering jewels — some as small as mustard seeds and others resembling gems or golden nuggets.
—Deepa Bharath, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for relic
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026
Al Gore, a liberal resident, had just become Vice-President, and the Criminal Justice Center was now seen as an embarrassing relic.
—James Verini, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
At the Rosemead temple, the teeth and finger bone relics are significantly larger than those in the average human body.
—ABC News, 1 Mar. 2026
Later commentaries describe the relics that came out of the Buddha’s ashes as glittering jewels — some as small as mustard seeds and others resembling gems or golden nuggets.
—Deepa Bharath, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for relic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relic
Noun
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The effort resulted in the discovery of about 13,000 artifacts, according to SFPUC.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
8 Mar. 2026
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While some of the artifacts that have already been salvaged from the building might be incorporated into the design.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The owner of the small antiques shop will talk to you for hours about every small business that has come and gone on his block.—
Xuan Juliana Wang,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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One way to bring Art Deco style to your home is to fill it with antiques or new items inspired by the period.—
Katherine McLaughlin,
Architectural Digest,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The plastic dinosaur is attached to a cap — its head in the front and its tail in the back.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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The next theme, coming this summer, will be dinosaur-related, said Library Executive Director Lindsey Dorfman.—
Jennifer Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Detectives recovered a razor-sharp Milwaukee brand knife, a plastic storage tub with what looked like traces of blood, and wipes.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
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Geologists know this because ancient rocks found at low latitudes carry unmistakable traces of glaciers—evidence that ice once existed in regions that are warm today.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In the Seventies, he was mocked as a Vegas has-been in a jumpsuit; in the Eighties, as a cultural colonizer.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2026
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When her estranged daughter unexpectedly moves into their crumbling Manhattan townhouse, the TV has-been is confronted with the one role she’s spent her entire life avoiding: motherhood.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Prosecutors dropped seven other charges in a plea deal, including two counts of hiding a corpse and theft.—
Todd Richmond,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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Models were also asked to pose as corpses in crime scenes, to personify eating disorders and addictions that models might have.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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When assessing which military is responsible for a particular strike – in any conflict – CNN typically obtains images of the remnants of the weapons used in the attack and provides these to munitions experts so that their provenance can be assessed.—
Gianluca Mezzofiore,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
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For the remnants of the Iranian regime—and, especially, the hard-line members of the Revolutionary Guard, who control much of the state’s weaponry—the strategy is clear.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Spotting a moose or a pack of wolves on a carcass, for instance, helps resource management teams track animal activity and allows interpretive rangers to point other visitors toward memorable experiences.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Mar. 2026
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The entire trap and mouse carcass are then disposed.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Relic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relic. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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