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

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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

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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 By 2000, the industry was a relic of an earlier era and on its last legs. — Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026 Yet the name is also a relic — the legacy of Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack, the last of whom passed away nearly 50 years ago. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026 Within this awkward relic of several other ages, New York’s past gets fetishized, chopped up, and whirled together into digestible entertainment. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Oct. 2026 Behind the reception desk, a wall of 109 wooden pigeonholes doubles as an art installation, with some compartments displaying replicas of the property's original room keys and others filled with nautical relics reflecting Naples's coastal allure. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for relic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for relic

Noun

Ship models, ancient navigation instruments, maps, and shipwreck artifacts illustrate the skills and dangers involved in these journeys.

— Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
People have the ability to share specific Muse artifacts, which creates a page that can be accessed by those with the link.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of artifact

Noun

Willis stripped it down and packed the space with street finds, antiques from the Chelsea Flea Market, and set pieces from his professional work.

— Wendy Goodman, Curbed, 17 Oct. 2026
What to do nearby A stone’s throw away is the Water Street Market, a complex of shops that includes an antiques mall, the Grazery café, and a neighborhood tavern called Parish.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of antique

Noun

Twenty-three-year-old Avia Cantrell is now charged with capital murder, while a man believed to be her boyfriend, 26-year-old Camron Baker, is charged with abuse of a corpse.

— Erin Jones, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
The sheer number of corpses meant that traditional burial ceremonies were forgotten for a time, and mass unmarked grave sites were used outside the city walls.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of corpse

Noun

Either way, scientists anticipate finding traces of Mars on Phobos, making the samples an irresistible two-for-one that should help demystify planetary and moon formation.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
Its proximity to Mars means there is a chance MMX might scoop up traces of the red planet itself that rained down on Phobos after its formation or capture.

— Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of trace

Noun

The manuscript Wayne read to us that night chronicled his involvement with Gloria Swanson, the towering star of Hollywood’s Golden Age who enjoyed latter-day acclaim in 1950 playing a delusional has-been in Sunset Boulevard.

— Mike Hogan, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026
That career move quickly fizzled, leaving a sloppy drunk has-been in the debris.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of has-been

Noun

The title comes from the term used to describe a dead whale carcass sinking to the ocean floor, where its flesh becomes a smorgasbord for entire ecosystems, nourishing countless other marine life forms.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
Traditional surveys of carcasses along roadways have shown that crossings do reduce wildlife collisions.

— Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of carcass

Noun

That remnant has now yielded direct physical evidence that ice sheets might have reversed their retreat and started to grow again thousands of years ago.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Oct. 2026
The coastal flooding in the next few days is expected to be different from earlier rounds, which were heavily influenced by powerful swells from the remnants of hurricanes Marie and Rachel.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 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 26 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of relic

noun

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