1
as in debris
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed the detective noticed an ashy residue in the sink and deduced that a piece of paper had been burned there

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 residue Other citations included containers stored as clean with food residue, large bins of dry ingredients not labeled and rust buildup on shelves of walk-in cooler. Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 4 Sep. 2025 Formulated for normal to dry skin, this gentle daily facial cleanser transforms from a silky oil to a soft, lathering foam that deeply cleanses your skin, effectively removing dirt, excess oil and stubborn makeup without clogging pores, leaving residue or a greasy feeling. Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025 The plasma process is also effective on waxy residues left over from other recycling methods, converting them into useful chemicals with over 80% selectivity. Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025 Use it on wet, damp, or dry hair; the fast-absorbing formula won’t weigh you down or leave residue. Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 1 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for residue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for residue
Noun
  • Police and army inspect damage to a house destroyed by debris from a shot down Russian drone in the village of Wyryki-Wola, eastern Poland, on September 10, 2025.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • One of the most effective vehicles for accomplishing all of this is a charitable remainder annuity trust, known as a CRAT.
    Andre Pennington, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
  • The prediction of an above-average remainder of the season is based on a combination of factors, including warmer-than-average sea-surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Seas, and an active West African Monsoon.
    Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Schools, churches, small shops that survived the devastating 2010 earthquake that killed over 300,000 are now a pile of rubble, part of the apocalyptic landscape left behind by the retreating forces that control almost all of Haiti’s capital.
    Johnny Fils-Aimé, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said an infant's body was pulled from the rubble in the Darnytskyi district, where a four-story apartment building was damaged.
    Lidia Kelly, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve could’ve wanted to use the regular season finale as a chance to get others more minutes and allow her stars some rest just days before the postseason begins.
    Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Humans arrive with a lifetime of real-world learning and need nothing more exotic than food, water, and rest.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • More than two years of civil war in Sudan have displaced 12 million people, killed at least 150,000 (and likely far more than that), put 25 million people in danger of starvation, and left wide swaths of physical wreckage.
    Lynsey Addario, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2025
  • While Good Samaritans were able to rescue five of the nine passengers from the wreckage, Angie was still inside, struggling to free herself.
    Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The walls are the only remnants of the old hotel site.
    Heather Richardson, Travel + Leisure, 6 Sep. 2025
  • British archaeologists recently found the remnants of a 17th-century house where Isaac Newton’s mother lived – not far from the site of his famous apple tree.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • An upholstered bench from her studio features a handmade ceramic button imprinted with textures from nearby ruins—a homage to the city on her doorstep.
    Keith Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2025
  • During the eight-day cruise, guests will visit the terra-cotta temples in Kalna, the Nawabi palaces of Murshidabad, the Mughal gardens of Khushbagh, the haunting ruins of Gaur, and Mayapur’s sprawling Hare Krishna complex.
    Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 9 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Residue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/residue. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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