Synonyms of vestige

vestige

noun

ˈve-stij 

1

as in relic

a tiny often physical indication of something lost or vanished

a few strange words carved on a tree were the only vestige of the lost colony of Roanoke

Synonyms & Similar Words

• relic
• trace
• remnant
• artifact
• echo
• shadow
• ghost
• reminder
• memento
• remembrance
• corpse
• rest
• remainder
• residual
• afterimage
• residue
• leftover
• aftertaste
• remain(s)
• hangover
• scrap
• leavings
• balance
• oddment
• dreg(s)

2

as in footstep

the mark or impression made by a foot

the fossilized vestige of a dinosaur that traversed that muddy landscape millions of years ago

Synonyms & Similar Words

• footstep
• footprint
• trace
• step
• footmark
• track
• hoofprint
• tread
• pug
• spoor

Synonym Chooser

How is the word vestige distinct from other similar nouns?

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

When could trace be used to replace vestige?

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

the killer left no traces

Where would track be a reasonable alternative to vestige?

While the synonyms track and vestige are close in meaning, track implies a continuous line that can be followed.

the fossilized tracks of dinosaurs

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of vestige

The tracks, gun-barrel straight, are some of the only working vestiges of the Cape-to-Cairo railway, the 19th century British imperial boondoggle that aimed to tie the continent together from Egypt to South Africa. —The Editors, Outside, 31 Aug. 2025

Meanwhile, colleges nationwide are eliminating any remaining vestiges of diversity, equity and inclusion programs and shuttering multicultural centers lest the government come after them. —Peter Elkind, ProPublica, 27 Aug. 2025

For Giuseppe Aquila, the company’s chief executive and the latest custodian of his family’s legacy, handwriting is not simply a vestige of the past. —Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025

Many vestiges of the ship’s seafaring past remain intact, however, from a claustrophobia-inducing propeller shaft to six original lifeboats hanging from pulleys on either side of the vessel. —Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2025

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