RELIC Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

relic

noun

ˈre-lik

Definition of relic

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

Relevance

as in antique

something belonging to or surviving from an earlier period in my grandparents' attic are many "groovy" relics from the 1960s

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in remains

relics plural a dead body though it is believed that missionary died in New Guinea, his relics have never been found

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 relic The tower stands, a handsome ruin and a relic of a more optimistic age. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 2 Sep. 2026 And the Court Arcade facade won’t be the last Charlotte relic torn down for the city’s growth. — Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2026 The Paper Receipts Converting Association, a trade group of US manufacturers, pushes back against anti-receipt legislation and advocates for paper receipts as a consumer right, not a relic. — HubSpot, 1 Sep. 2026 Ospreay walked through relics from the past and present backstage, including Michael Oku, Swerve Strickland, Ricochet, Kyle Fletcher, his wife Alex Windsor and finally Jon Moxley, who gave Ospreay the flag of London. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for relic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for relic

Noun

An avid collector of Old Hollywood artifacts, in 2014, Johns acquired a box at auction filled with autographed photographs—including one personally inscribed by Marilyn Monroe—and documents connected to celebrity facialist Madame Renna.

— Lauren Valenti, InStyle, 9 Sep. 2026
The Niners basically treated their star running back like a precious artifact this offseason, storing him at optimal temperature and humidity, limiting his exposure to light and contaminants.

— Andy Behrens, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of artifact

Noun

An antiques dealer allegedly smuggled it into England during the Russian Revolution, at which point Elizabeth’s grandmother, Mary, purchased it.

— Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 6 Sep. 2026
Her father was a traveling antiques and jewelry salesman, and the family moved frequently, meaning Steinem rarely spent a full year at the same school.

— Preston Fore, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of antique

Noun

The feathers were partially adapted for diving, yet retained primitive, fuzzy down typical of non-avian dinosaurs.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2026
The feather dates back to the late Cretaceous, right before the great extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs and a large swath of other species.

— Ari Daniel, NPR, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of dinosaur

Noun

In March a whale corpse was found floating in San Francisco Bay, seagulls perched on top like vultures at carrion.

— Ainslie Cruickshank, Scientific American, 9 Sep. 2026
There are cases of Jewish corpses being abused on their way to the cemetery; and even one instance of a father watching as his son was stabbed to death in the street.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of corpse

Noun

Western officials suspect that the traces could provide evidence that Iran had a secret nuclear weapons program until 2003.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
Sea salt is generally less processed and can contain trace amounts of minerals such as potassium, iron, calcium and magnesium, according to Harvard Health.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of trace

Noun

Brett Goldstein’s seething has-been, Roy Kent, has replaced Ted as the men’s coach; Beard (co-creator Brendan Hunt) stuck around to assist Roy but has gone feral in the absence of his professional soulmate.

— Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of has-been

Noun

But the remnants of Tropical Storm Edouard brought a merciful breeze, a cameo of clouds, and a spit of rain; with race day peaking at 97 degrees, this Texas endurance-racing test might have actually gotten lucky.

— Patrick Iversen, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
And what’s dramatic about this is that having grown up on a remote mountain farm in the 1940s, away from almost any remnant of civilization, Mikey has zero context for his erotic yearnings.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of remnant

Browse Nearby Words

reliant

relic

relics

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Style

“Relic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relic. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of relic

noun

Example Sentences

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