track 1 of 2

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

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 eight-figure pricing tracks with Austin’s uppermost tier. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 6 Apr. 2026 The primary landing site for Artemis II is approximately 50 miles southwest of San Diego, however NASA has about 475 nautical miles of wiggle room to move the landing site farther offshore along the entry ground track to find better weather if needed. CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
Myers cut the album last fall at the legendary FAME Recording Studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where so many of the great R&B and rock albums of the ’60s and ’70s were tracked. Chris Willman, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026 One such company is Blueprint, an AI assistant that summarizes sessions, updates electronic health records, and helps individual therapists track patient progress. Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for track
Recent Examples of Synonyms for track
Noun
  • Even as China remains one of Iran’s biggest diplomatic allies, President Xi Jinping’s support for the Islamic Republic is being constrained by a vast trail of Chinese capital across the Gulf.
    Bloomberg, Bloomberg, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Sullivan’s favorite trail is Lost Cove East, a rolling three-mile loop in the woods with a natural rock bridge and beautiful ridge views.
    Jennifer Stewart Kornegay, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • There will be little temptation to venture away from the comforts of the resort’s idyllic and famously still beach, unless by boat, kayak, or bike to explore the surrounding archipelago’s dramatic cliffs, caves, and paths.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Understanding what the Bengals are seeking will set the foundation for understanding the paths, options and players most likely to be targeted April 22-24.
    Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • He is fascinated by how roads connect and enjoys designing his own imaginative routes and paths.
    CBS News, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
  • The fees would act as a kind of war reparations, says Ghiselli, while allowing Iran to institutionalize its management of the shipping route.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • This is apparently so intolerable to the American public of the 1950s that he is chased out of a radio station after airing his views, whiskey bottle in hand.
    Alice Kaplan, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
  • The Rockies want to run the bases like kids chasing an ice cream truck.
    Troy Renck, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Only a few ships with ties to China, Pakistan and India have traversed through after Iranian officials authorized vessels from non-hostile nations.
    Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The Rock Creek Loop traverses approximately seven miles of ravines, creeks, subtropical forest, and small footbridges.
    Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Then gentrification gradually pushed most traces of Hispanic culture out of our neighborhood.
    Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2026
  • The satellite also hosts the European Union’s Copernicus Sentinel-4 mission, which aims to monitor key air quality trace gases and aerosols over Europe in support of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) at high spatial resolution and with a fast revisit time.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • With no public footpath crossing the land, the secluded cove is accessible only from the estate itself or by boat—an unusual level of privacy for this stretch of coast.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Now, almost two decades later, King Charles has finally inaugurated the footpath – 80% of which is open to the public, with the remainder set to be completed by the end of the year.
    Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • What had seemed like a good way of chilling out was actually plunging me into a kind of crisis.
    Tim Parks, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Because Towns and Brunson complement each other in ways Mike Brown outlined after the victory on Thursday.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Track.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/track. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.

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