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trace

Q: How is the word 'trace' distinct from other similar nouns?

The words track and vestige are common synonyms of trace . While all three words mean "a perceptible sign made by something that has passed," trace may suggest any line, mark, or discernible effect. // the killer left no traces

Q: When could 'track' be used to replace 'trace'?

The synonyms track and trace are sometimes interchangeable, but track implies a continuous line that can be followed. // the fossilized tracks of dinosaurs

Q: When might 'vestige' be a better fit than 'trace'?

The words vestige and trace can be used in similar contexts, but vestige applies to a tangible reminder such as a fragment or remnant of what is past and gone. // boulders that are vestiges of the last ice age

verb

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Synonyms & Antonyms of trace

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 to draw or make apparent the outline of

trace your hand onto this piece of paper

Synonyms for trace

Words Related to trace

line

frame

2 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 for trace

Words Related to trace

Phrases Synonymous with trace

run after

Near Antonyms for trace

head

Antonyms for trace

trace

noun

Synonyms & Antonyms of trace (Entry 2 of 2)

1 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 for trace

Words Related to trace

2 a passage cleared for public vehicular travel

an old trace that dates back to the days of the covered wagon

Synonyms for trace

Words Related to trace

causeway

beltway,
bypass,
parkway,
ring road
[chiefly British]

through street

circle,
lane,
laneway
[British],
mews
[chiefly British],
place

close
[chiefly British],
cul-de-sac,
dead end

corridor

track,
trail

3 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 for trace

Words Related to trace

bridle path

towpath

4 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 for trace

Words Related to trace

artifact

5 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 for trace

Words Related to trace

dose,
shot

tatter

Phrases Synonymous with trace

drop in the bucket

Near Antonyms for trace

volume

6 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 for trace

Words Related to trace

Near Antonyms for trace

7 the mark or impression made by a foot

followed the traces of the deer into the deep woods

Synonyms for trace

Words Related to trace

hoofprint

tread

Frequently Asked Questions About trace

How is the word trace distinct from other similar nouns?

The words track and vestige are common synonyms of trace. While all three words mean "a perceptible sign made by something that has passed," trace may suggest any line, mark, or discernible effect.

the killer left no traces

When could track be used to replace trace?

The synonyms track and trace are sometimes interchangeable, but track implies a continuous line that can be followed.

the fossilized tracks of dinosaurs

When might vestige be a better fit than trace?

The words vestige and trace can be used in similar contexts, but vestige applies to a tangible reminder such as a fragment or remnant of what is past and gone.

boulders that are vestiges of the last ice age

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