1
as in to define
to draw or make apparent the outline of
trace your hand onto this piece of paper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to track
to go after or on the track of
police traced the burglar back to his apartment, where they discovered a ton of stolen loot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in trail
a mark or series of marks left on a surface by something that has passed along it
the wolf came and went without leaving a trace on the hard, dry ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in road
a passage cleared for public vehicular travel
an old trace that dates back to the days of the covered wagon
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in path
a rough course or way formed by or as if by repeated footsteps
stay on the trace, or you'll get lost in these thick woods
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in relic
a tiny often physical indication of something lost or vanished
a ship that appears to have vanished without a trace on the high seas
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in shred
a very small amount
doctors detected only a trace of bacteria in the blood sample but put the patient on antibiotics just in case
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in hint
an almost imperceptible sign of something
there didn't seem to be so much as a trace of the truth to anything he said
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of trace
Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 2 Sep. 2025
In dealmaking,timing is everything and most failures trace back not to bad execution but to answering the call when the time wasn’t right.
—Jessica Billingsley, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
After 12–24 hours in the fridge, the full-bodied cold brew is ready to drink with no traces of fatty acids or bitter oils.
—Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trace
Verb
Less than 1% each traced their origins to Nicaraguan, Argentine, Panamanian, Chilean, Costa Rican, Bolivian or Uruguayan descent.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 2 Sep. 2025
In dealmaking,timing is everything and most failures trace back not to bad execution but to answering the call when the time wasn’t right.
—Jessica Billingsley, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
Even trace amounts of undeclared wheat can cause hives, swelling, respiratory distress, or life-threatening anaphylaxis in allergic individuals.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
After 12–24 hours in the fridge, the full-bodied cold brew is ready to drink with no traces of fatty acids or bitter oils.
—Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trace
Verb
-
Mercenaries are defined as soldiers who are contracted by third parties unaffiliated with a nation’s armed forces and motivated primarily by private gain.—
Rebecca Johns,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Rivalries that are long in tenure and thick with hatred define college sports in the Deep South, where football is second only to faith in some places.—
Quentin Corpuel,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Its systems act as a 3D camera, tracking up to 15,000 collisions each second.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The college attributed increasing nonparticipating student counts to improved methods of tracking student participation.—
Edward McKinnon,
Arkansas Online,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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With 105 trails and more than 2,000 feet of vertical drop, Purgatory has plenty on hand for the experienced skier, too.—
Cu Fleshman,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Surfers often head to Bonsteel Park, which has a wooden walkway leading to the sand and hiking trails nearby or the beach at Sebastian Inlet State Park.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Of course, other corporations have been down a similarly troubled road in recent years.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The Bobcats went on the road Thursday night and struggled in the second half in a 38-21 loss against Lewisville at Max Goldsmith Stadium.—
Cody Thorn,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Gateway — the Artemis program's pitstop space station in lunar orbit — has had a bumpy path inside the program's architecture.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
4 Sep. 2025
-
While it can be renewed indefinitely as long as the business remains operational, the E-2 visa does not provide a direct path to permanent residency.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
So, what was this relic doing under my bed?—
Marni Jameson,
Arkansas Online,
29 Aug. 2025
-
The company was widely dismissed as a relic of declining foot traffic and a fad retail concept that had already peaked.—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Shred into large pieces into a bowl, then go back through with your fingers to break into fine shreds.—
Marianne Williams,
Southern Living,
28 Aug. 2025
-
To them, the phrase conveyed the precious shreds of humanity that survive the dehumanizing effects of the internet.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Meanwhile, glitter shadow spilled under her eyes, filling in her waterline next to a brown eyeliner with hints of gold.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The Crafted Flatzz are available in five different artisanal recipes, according to Pizza Hut, including a Three Cheese Flatzz that is layered with sweet marinara sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, Romano and a hint of oregano.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trace. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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