Synonyms of residue

residue

noun

ˈre-zə-ˌdü 

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

• debris
• rubble
• wreckage
• remains
• ruins
• remnant
• ashes
• detritus
• wreck
• flotsam
• dust
• leavings
• garbage
• junk
• litter
• chaff
• jetsam
• waste
• trash
• dross
• scrap
• rubbish
• refuse
• deadwood
• riffraff

2

as in remainder

a remaining group or portion

the residue of our Thanksgiving feast consisted of a denuded turkey carcass and a couple rolls

Synonyms & Similar Words

• remainder
• rest
• remnant
• remains
• residuum
• leavings
• leftovers
• odds and ends
• fragment
• balance
• vestige
• excess
• surplus
• stump
• scrap
• butt
• overabundance
• stub
• overage
• superfluity
• overflow
• fat
• oversupply
• surfeit
• overkill
• overmuch
• superabundance
• scraping(s)
• oddment

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• body
• most
• weight
• mass
• bulk
• main

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of residue

Soap residue can make even clean towels feel rough and smell less than fresh. — Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026

Black residue build up was found on the walls of the ice machine. — Vince Basada august 7, Sacbee.com, 7 Aug. 2026

There’s ghosts, there’s futures, there’s residue in this building—there’s sweat from colonial histories that reside in brick and concrete for centuries. — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Inspectors found an accumulation of decaying organic waste, wastewater and food residue in two different freezers, as well as live and dead flies in various locations of the warehouse. — City News Service, Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026