1
as in residue
a remaining group or portion
They tested for chemical residuals in the water.
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2
as in reminder
a lingering indication of something from the past
Some modern traditions are residuals of ancient beliefs and rituals.
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as in lingering
still existing or happening after something is completed or removed
The oven was still warm with residual heat. The area is still dealing with the residual effects of the flood.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of residual
Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 20 Jan. 2026
The negotiations will be the first since the writers and actors strikes of 2023, and will likely revisit the concerns that animated those stoppages, such as AI and residuals on streaming platforms.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 Jan. 2026
Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Use hot, soapy water and a soft-bristle brush to scrub away residual soil and sap.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for residual
Noun
Anastasia Sanger, director, programming and creative development My beauty look in 2016 took the residuals from the height of twee (thick cat-eye eyeliner, blunt bangs) and added a lot of dark lip experimentation.
—Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 20 Jan. 2026
The negotiations will be the first since the writers and actors strikes of 2023, and will likely revisit the concerns that animated those stoppages, such as AI and residuals on streaming platforms.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
The footage and its underlying data could go through hundreds of thousands of servers and systems all over the world — increasing the chance of residual data being left behind.
—Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Use hot, soapy water and a soft-bristle brush to scrub away residual soil and sap.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for residual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for residual
Noun
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The stories collected in In the Shadow of the Holocaust insist that destruction leaves residues that often cannot be transformed into lessons or triumphs.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
-
If there’s very little food residue in the wash, the chemistry can shift from ‘breaking down grime’ to ‘floating around in the water with nothing useful to do.—
Taylor Tobin,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Her elegant collaboration was a reminder that the world has long created the kinds of crises that threaten our stability today, and a good artist finds a way to make work that shows us a way through it, even if the answer is as simple as making something beautiful.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
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Grand, crumbling ruins stand as a striking reminder that Oualidia was once a favorite place of the nation’s last Sultan, and the legacy of his beloved royal beach lingers.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Thomas missed 57 games last season, mostly because of the same lingering left hamstring issue.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
4 Feb. 2026
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On the one hand, that means that many survive the disease without serious lingering effects.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
18 Dec. 2025
Noun
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As more and more satellite megaconstellations continue to be launched into Earth orbit, some researchers are beginning to calculate the chances that people on the surface could be struck by the incoming remnants of these spacecraft reentering the atmosphere.—
Leonard David,
Space.com,
13 Feb. 2026
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The stellar remnant will contract to form a white dwarf, and while the planetary nebula will fade after perhaps 20,000 years, the white dwarf will continue to shine for many trillions of years before fading out.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Darrell English, who leads the union for TSA agents in Illinois and Wisconsin, said the toll of multiple shutdowns could have lasting effects for the agency to retain workers.—
Victor Jacobo,
CBS News,
14 Feb. 2026
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Shorter winters disrupt recreation and can have lasting impacts on lake ecosystems, agriculture and public health.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Best of all is the installation-style curation, with paintings surrounded by clusters of artifacts from the same period.—
Clodagh Kinsella,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
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Both burial sites double as museums packed with presidential documents, artifacts, and plenty of Oval Office lore.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Residual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/residual. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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