1
as in outlines
to draw or make apparent the outline of
trace your hand onto this piece of paper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in tracks
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 trails
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 streets
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 paths
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 relics
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 glimmers
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 hints
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
7
as in footsteps
the mark or impression made by a foot
followed the traces of the deer into the deep woods
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of traces
David Ingram, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Earlier on in the episode, Griffin finds a gun in his late dad's storage unit and traces it to match a gun that killed someone in an off-duty shooting.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
What follows is the type of taut paranoid thriller that defined many a ’70s classic, as Turner traces the threads of a complex web of intrigue.
—Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2026
This week, Al traces the themes of one of Drake’s greatest tracks of this decade back to his unfinished R&B leaks of the late 2000s.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 14 May 2026
How the Slurpee became an American staple The Slurpee traces its roots back to the 1960s, when businessman Omar Knedlik developed a machine that partially froze soft drinks after noticing customers enjoyed semi-frozen sodas at his Dairy Queen franchise in Kansas.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 13 May 2026
The film traces designer Zandra Rhodes’ career from the 1960s and her influence on fashion, music and art.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 May 2026
Carrowmore/Achill Island Leaving Donegal, the road south traces the coast toward County Sligo, where the table-flat summit of Benbulben rises above farms and fields like a geological stage set.
—David Dickstein, Oc Register, 13 May 2026
The book traces how Olson, who joined the retailer in 2007 and was elevated to the top post in 2023, transformed the company by embracing its Gen Z consumer base.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 8 May 2026
Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Crucially, the entire supply chain traces back to quartz — essentially sand — with no dependency on China.
—Gene Berdichevsky, Fortune, 14 May 2026
Though Juneau rose to prominence during the Gold Rush and became the territorial capital after the United States purchased Alaska in 1867, the city still bears traces of both worlds.
—Josh Rivera, USA Today, 14 May 2026
Only meager traces of lunar helium-3 are present in these samples, yet these amounts still far exceed Earth’s abundance.
—Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 14 May 2026
The patient wouldn’t have had the benefit of modern anesthetics, but archaeological traces at other sites suggest Neanderthals knew about medicinal plants like chamomile and yarrow, as well as antiseptics like birch tar.
—ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026
The first American pizzeria opened in downtown Manhattan in 1905, and the city’s signature thin, circular slice traces directly to that moment.
—Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 May 2026
There remained his oil paintings and the many books marked by his handwriting in the margins—now mere traces of him.
—Literary Hub, 12 May 2026
Watson used a chemical that reacts with traces of blood, creating a bluish-purple color on the floor and counter of the bathroom.
—Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
Verb
Benjamin Fanjoy / Getty Images The idea that people are entitled to be judged by a jury of their peers traces back to the Magna Carta of 1215, although the definition of peer has changed over time.
—David Ingram, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Earlier on in the episode, Griffin finds a gun in his late dad's storage unit and traces it to match a gun that killed someone in an off-duty shooting.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
What follows is the type of taut paranoid thriller that defined many a ’70s classic, as Turner traces the threads of a complex web of intrigue.
—Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2026
This week, Al traces the themes of one of Drake’s greatest tracks of this decade back to his unfinished R&B leaks of the late 2000s.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 14 May 2026
How the Slurpee became an American staple The Slurpee traces its roots back to the 1960s, when businessman Omar Knedlik developed a machine that partially froze soft drinks after noticing customers enjoyed semi-frozen sodas at his Dairy Queen franchise in Kansas.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 13 May 2026
The film traces designer Zandra Rhodes’ career from the 1960s and her influence on fashion, music and art.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 May 2026
Carrowmore/Achill Island Leaving Donegal, the road south traces the coast toward County Sligo, where the table-flat summit of Benbulben rises above farms and fields like a geological stage set.
—David Dickstein, Oc Register, 13 May 2026
The book traces how Olson, who joined the retailer in 2007 and was elevated to the top post in 2023, transformed the company by embracing its Gen Z consumer base.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 8 May 2026
Noun
As a result, traces of Denisovan DNA live on in some humans today — something interbreeding geneticists call admixture.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Crucially, the entire supply chain traces back to quartz — essentially sand — with no dependency on China.
—Gene Berdichevsky, Fortune, 14 May 2026
Though Juneau rose to prominence during the Gold Rush and became the territorial capital after the United States purchased Alaska in 1867, the city still bears traces of both worlds.
—Josh Rivera, USA Today, 14 May 2026
Only meager traces of lunar helium-3 are present in these samples, yet these amounts still far exceed Earth’s abundance.
—Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 14 May 2026
The patient wouldn’t have had the benefit of modern anesthetics, but archaeological traces at other sites suggest Neanderthals knew about medicinal plants like chamomile and yarrow, as well as antiseptics like birch tar.
—ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026
The first American pizzeria opened in downtown Manhattan in 1905, and the city’s signature thin, circular slice traces directly to that moment.
—Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 May 2026
There remained his oil paintings and the many books marked by his handwriting in the margins—now mere traces of him.
—Literary Hub, 12 May 2026
Watson used a chemical that reacts with traces of blood, creating a bluish-purple color on the floor and counter of the bathroom.
—Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for traces
Verb
-
The federal case outlines an alleged scheme in which the Chinese used Wang to burnish their country’s image.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
The pharmaceutical industry is negotiating the reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Act Fee, which outlines the fees the FDA collects from drugmakers to fund its reviews.—
Annika Kim Constantino,Angelica Peebles,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
The lawsuit cites a New York Times story in which a real estate consultant who tracks local trends in the Miami condo market, Peter Zalewski, estimated the property could sell for at least $360 million.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
Putting stones with that je ne sais quoi front and center here tracks back to the jeweler’s focus on building emotional connections.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Most visitors come for the underground experience of the cave itself, but there's plenty of aboveground adventures to be had, too, including miles of hiking trails, biking, canoeing and kayaking on the Green and Nolin Rivers, and horseback riding.—
Dave Parfitt,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
-
Pedal a beach cruiser bike north along the beach to Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park, where hiking trails, lonely sands, picnic sites, and kayak rentals fronting a freshwater lake await.—
Terry Ward,
Travel + Leisure,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
The quick turnaround was a whirlwind for Griffin, who bolted from Westchester to the busy downtown Brooklyn streets.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
-
Because drivers spend so much time on the streets, the vehicles are designed for comfort, operations manager Michael Bradshaw said.—
Talia McWright,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
Small differences in timing, composition, and heating may have pushed these neighboring moons down completely different evolutionary paths.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
-
The paths, sidewalks and streets are also very well maintained.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
Legend has it that these relics are the remains of martyrs from the early days of Christianity in Rome that were discovered in the 16th century in unmarked graves in the city's catacombs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
-
Channel Islands National Park, California A throwback to old California, the five-island park preserves paleolithic digs, frontier-era ranches and relics of Spanish exploration.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
While math achievement saw a rebound after the pandemic, reading continued to decline through 2024, with 2025 offering glimmers of a turnaround, the report said.—
Paris Barraza,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
-
The Melissa is a slightly wider shape for more coverage and balance on longer or wider faces, with a chunky gold hinge that glimmers in the sun.—
Kelsey Legg,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
With hints of Nashville and LA sprinkled throughout the shop, a KC native just opened a new boutique and embroidery bar in the Northland.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
12 May 2026
-
The thread packed with hints served as a playful nod to Taylor Swift's new sourdough obsession and her relationship with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.—
Paloma Chavez,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Traces.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/traces. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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