Definition of tracknext
1
2
as in path
a rough course or way formed by or as if by repeated footsteps there was still a faint track through the underbrush that indicated where the path used to be

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in route
the direction along which something or someone moves I followed the track of the thief's eyes as he watched the woman put the money into her purse and walk away

Synonyms & Similar Words

track

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word track distinct from other similar nouns?

The words trace and vestige are common synonyms of track. While all three words mean "a perceptible sign made by something that has passed," track implies a continuous line that can be followed.

the fossilized tracks of dinosaurs

When can trace be used instead of track?

In some situations, the words trace and track are roughly equivalent. However, trace may suggest any line, mark, or discernible effect.

the killer left no traces

Where would vestige be a reasonable alternative to track?

While in some cases nearly identical to track, 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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of track
Noun
The swaggering track, which sees the artists joining voices on the chorus, will get an official music video later today. Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026 But plenty of long-range computer models continue to show a future for the system, most as a tropical storm headed west toward the Caribbean, although plenty also show a potential track that curves north of Puerto Rico. Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
Remarkably, after more than a 40-year interval, Tursi was able to track down one of the hostage takers to get his recollections of that fateful day. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, rising distress over time tended to track with a lower degree of support. Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for track
Recent Examples of Synonyms for track
Noun
  • Seeking a way to maintain the trails, the Copleys decided to rely on foot traffic from hikers to keep down vegetation.
    John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026
  • These trails form when aircraft engine emissions encounter extremely cold air found at high altitudes, causing tiny ice particles to develop.
    Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Her path is profoundly reshaped by an encounter with Mari (Okamoto), a Japanese theater director battling cancer.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Security camera footage shows the shocking moment flood water crashes through the Nepal-China border area, with people seen running away as the water appears to wipe out everything in its path.
    Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Check the requirement, confirm the route, draft the plan, or ask one better question.
    Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Together, Jaybush, Brad Chambers, and the American Heavy Moving team figured out a route through the city that avoided street trees, tight turns, and roads that run above old, fragile sewer pipes, which aren’t rated for heavy loads.
    Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The North American box office is still chasing the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, and despite a blockbuster summer, ticket sales are still lagging.
    Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • That’s some serious currency for Mahomes to be taking into Season 10 with so much still in front of him — both in terms of years to play, presumably, and goals to chase.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Jo and Sam competed together in Race Across the World, traversing Latin America for the BBC reality competition series, produced by Studio Lambert.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Things to do 🧑‍🍳Famous chef Roy Choi traverses Los Angeles for lobster noodles and spicy tofu.
    Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Potsherds discarded after an 11th-century feast at Etowah—an Indigenous city just north of what’s now Atlanta—contained traces of cacao, a raw ingredient of chocolate.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In Ossoff, the first millennial senator, Rogers sees traces of an earlier era.
    Sam Gringlas, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Take the paved footpath behind Zori past olive groves to reach the ACI Marina, its restaurants and the taxi boats that take you to Hvar Town and the notoriously hedonistic beach club, Carpe Diem, on the neighboring island of Marinkovac.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • My walk took me over the peaks and ridges of the Eastern highlands, on a narrow footpath that rose and fell thousands of feet in the course of an average day.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • But even as the culture seems fairly concerned with the way famous women look, and the impact these images have on young girls and teenagers, the conversation around men and their body image has been lean.
    José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Much of rising demand reflects a shift in the way AI systems are consuming AI compute, particularly as the use of agentic AI becomes more widespread, Huang explained.
    Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Track.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/track. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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