vestige

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

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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

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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

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 vestige Big marquee filmmakers started coming into that space, because that was the only vestige for them. Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for vestige
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vestige
Noun
  • Nguyen exhibits the film next to his own artwork made from Vietnam bomb relics.
    Elizabeth Blair, NPR, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Past efforts to revitalize the five-story relic failed to materialize before the late-night fire made such plans moot.
    Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The director will be feted with the Lumière Award in front of a 3,000-strong crowd at the festival on Friday evening, following in the footsteps of Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, Jane Fonda, Francis Ford Coppola, Quentin Tarantino, Tim Burton and Isabelle Huppert.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Both networks are following in the footsteps of SpaceX's Starlink megaconstellation, which currently consists of more than 8,600 operational spacecraft and is growing all the time.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Even trace concentrations can affect algae and fish, creating ripple effects across ecosystems.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
  • His warning comes just days after Beijing unveiled sweeping new export controls that would require companies worldwide to seek Chinese approval before shipping thousands of products containing even trace amounts of rare earths.
    Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Beyond their vast digital footprint, the brothers are also both authors and entrepreneurs.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The research team also revealed that the system is optimized for 625 parametric building designs covering different energy use intensities (EUI) and geometric configurations, defined by façade area-to-volume, length-to-width, and height-to-footprint ratios.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • And, major flooding occurred at two locations in Alaska as the remnants of Typhoon Halong arrived.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Breakker dragged Reigns’ carcass out of the remnants from the table to help set up Reed for the Tsunami.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Vestige.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vestige. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

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