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 Peter once ruled the small principality, and the saints’ relics rest there. — Diana Dukhanova, The Conversation, 6 July 2026 But preservationists wonder how many of the remaining relics of Orlando’s past will remain standing. — Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2026 To finally take a closer look at the massive relic, the historical society asked the local fire department for help. — Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 4 July 2026 Museum of Miami The Museum of Miami, formerly HistoryMiami, holds the relics and artifacts that were excavated at the Miami Circle. — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for relic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for relic

Noun

Drawn to the iridescent glass, Saar lined the artifacts on the fence and encouraged her daughters to keep an eye out, too.

— Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Not a record-setter While the sale price was impressive, the pen and switch did not break into the top 10 list of the highest prices at a public sale for space artifacts and memorabilia.

— Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 15 July 2026

Definition of artifact

Noun

Other curiosities and antiques are scattered throughout the house, many of which were sourced at the Saint-Ouen flea market in Paris.

— Annabelle Dufraigne, Architectural Digest, 14 July 2026
In April 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the UK banned the export to Russia of luxury items valued over £250 ($330), including art and antiques.

— News Desk, Artforum, 10 July 2026

Definition of antique

Noun

The dinosaur blockbuster earned close to $1 billion at the box office and spawned a franchise.

— Joyce Eng, Entertainment Weekly, 13 July 2026
Gus also reportedly shows bite marks and evidence of fractures that the dinosaur survived, which Sotheby’s said may add to its scientific significance.

— Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 13 July 2026

Definition of dinosaur

Noun

The axes had traces of gold on the edge of them, suggesting this person worked with gold and probably other metals such as copper and bronze, Booth said.

— Jack Guy, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Ungrounding, on the other hand, aims to remove a society from its place and erase all traces to its previous existence.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026

Definition of trace

Noun

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
Ken Blake Brea Sorry to see Jerry Neuheisel leave UCLA to join traitor and coaching has-been Chip Kelly at Northwestern.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2026

Definition of has-been

Noun

The study also has no way to show how much of the wolves’ cattle consumption came from scavenging the carcasses of dead animals, Weiss said.

— Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026
Nearby Elephant Butte Lake, a draw for outdoorsy tourists, is so severely drought-depleted that sunbaked fish carcasses line its shores.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026

Definition of carcass

Noun

The western part of the state had been ravaged by the remnants of Hurricane Helene, torn apart in a way never imagined by one of the worst natural disasters the area had ever experienced.

— Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 13 July 2026
This leaves the core as a stellar remnant, either a neutron star or a black hole, initially surrounded by an expanding shell of supernova debris.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 10 July 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 17 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of relic

noun

Example Sentences

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