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
Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 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
Louise Brangan traces the disappearances of girls in 20th century Ireland.
—Literary Hub, 8 May 2026
Karen Weintraub traces the history of organ transplants in the United States as part of our American Journeys series.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 8 May 2026
The East Bay chain traces its roots to the 1920s, when Kasper Koojoolian, an Armenian immigrant, left Chicago for the warmer climate and business opportunities of California.
—Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
Fifth Third traces its history back to 1858 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
—Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 8 May 2026
The phrase apparently traces its origins to a 2021 post in an online forum run by Chinese search giant Baidu.
—Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
The Roman Catholic Church’s 267th leader, whose family lineage traces through Haiti, is the first American pope.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
Chris Yogerst, HollywoodReporter, 6 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
These digital traces are the raw material fueling the AI revolution, powering technologies that are reshaping our world.
—Alice Xiang, Time, 6 May 2026
Touching the screen leaves traces of oil behind that also attract dust particles and dirt.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 5 May 2026
Three days later, Dancer’s Image is disqualified when traces of a painkiller are found in tests.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
Whereas some actual insects use pheromones as biochemical markers (or stigmergic traces), the RAnts biomimicked version is photormones – light signals – to guide the actions of their collective.
—New Atlas, 1 May 2026
What traces do global systems—finance, supply chains—leave on objects and on people?
—Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 1 May 2026
The History Behind America’s State Fair Tradition The American fair traces back to 1807, when Elkanah Watson, a banker and farmer in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, organized an exhibition to promote his sheep.
—Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
His love of Google devices traces back to the G1 Android phone, which came out in 2008.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 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
Louise Brangan traces the disappearances of girls in 20th century Ireland.
—Literary Hub, 8 May 2026
Karen Weintraub traces the history of organ transplants in the United States as part of our American Journeys series.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 8 May 2026
The East Bay chain traces its roots to the 1920s, when Kasper Koojoolian, an Armenian immigrant, left Chicago for the warmer climate and business opportunities of California.
—Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
Fifth Third traces its history back to 1858 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
—Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 8 May 2026
The phrase apparently traces its origins to a 2021 post in an online forum run by Chinese search giant Baidu.
—Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
The Roman Catholic Church’s 267th leader, whose family lineage traces through Haiti, is the first American pope.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
Noun
The original Marathon address is still on one of the buildings, and there are still little traces of RKO on the west side of the lot that haven’t fully disappeared.
—Chris Yogerst, HollywoodReporter, 6 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
These digital traces are the raw material fueling the AI revolution, powering technologies that are reshaping our world.
—Alice Xiang, Time, 6 May 2026
Touching the screen leaves traces of oil behind that also attract dust particles and dirt.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 5 May 2026
Three days later, Dancer’s Image is disqualified when traces of a painkiller are found in tests.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
Whereas some actual insects use pheromones as biochemical markers (or stigmergic traces), the RAnts biomimicked version is photormones – light signals – to guide the actions of their collective.
—New Atlas, 1 May 2026
What traces do global systems—finance, supply chains—leave on objects and on people?
—Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 1 May 2026
The History Behind America’s State Fair Tradition The American fair traces back to 1807, when Elkanah Watson, a banker and farmer in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, organized an exhibition to promote his sheep.
—Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for traces
Verb
-
The regulations are part of the village’s larger process to produce a comprehensive plan that outlines zoning and applicable business uses for land development and commercial business occupancies.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
-
The agreement, which stems from a union grievance filed in November 2023, outlines the conditions under which a teacher accused of misconduct with a student, employee or adult may be reassigned.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Investors burned by that bust are still leery of pouring money into oil and gas a decade later, says Brandon Davis, founder of AFE Leaks, a consulting firm that tracks capital costs for oil and gas.—
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
6 May 2026
-
Comptroller Phil Diamond — whose office tracks collection and spending of Orange County’s tourist tax, widely seen as a barometer of the health of the regional tourism market — indicated Tuesday that receipts would continue the surge that began last April.—
Stephen Hudak,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 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
-
There are no easy answers in education, but there are glimmers of hope.—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
12 Apr. 2026
-
While the storm is looming, there are new glimmers of possibility—friends can become lovers, strangers can become friends on the subway, the supermarket aisles are charged with meaning.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This desire to find connection in loss hints that death can often be more tangible to process than estrangement.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
-
After downplaying the prospect of a new album in recent interviews, Grande began posting hints to the contrary in March, like a flower emoji in her Instagram bio.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Traces.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/traces. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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