vestiges

Definition of vestigesnext
plural of vestige
1
as in relics
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

Relevance
2
as in footsteps
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

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 vestiges Continue your exploration of ancient Mexican vestiges by visiting Tulum. Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Apr. 2026 As in that case, many of Silver Court’s residents are about to lose one of the few vestiges of stable, deeply affordable housing in Miami-Dade. Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026 Upon first glance, the room looks like a typical parlor of its era, clinging to the vestiges of late Victorian décor that were quickly fading from fashion. Laura E. Helton, Literary Hub, 20 Apr. 2026 Though the war ended in the 1990s, vestiges remained of the racial and ethnic conflict. Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026 Now, plans are finally underway to remove the rotting vestiges of the structure. Kathleen Hill, The Providence Journal, 28 Mar. 2026 In 2022, the economy was still rebounding strongly from COVID, with the vestiges of a big fiscal stimulus at its back. John Cassidy, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026 Nowhere in the vestiges of what was once the sprawl of corporate hugeness known as The General Electric Company are there signs that Katharine Blodgett's laboratory notebooks still exist. Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2026 The Bruins, though, have found success as a Big Ten giant, with the vestiges of the old conference united in the most unlikely way. Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vestiges
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
  • Following in the footsteps of Apollo 11 – the first mission to get boots on the lunar surface – Apollo 17 was the sixth and last time astronauts have been on the moon.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 8 May 2026
  • Elkann, a keen offshore sailor himself, says Hypersail follows in the footsteps of Ferrari’s passion for endurance, drawing inspiration from the Ferrari 499P hypercar, which has won the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans three years in a row since the team’s return to endurance racing in 2023.
    Andrew Rice, New York Times, 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
Noun
  • In 2020, the Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau, in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, launched a volunteer initiative to encourage travelers not just to leave footprints, but to make a positive impact during their visit.
    Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 6 May 2026
  • As the compute intensity of AI workloads increases and data center footprints grow larger, copper connections have started to reach their limits, especially as agentic AI systems have come onto the scene.
    Zev Fima, CNBC, 6 May 2026
Noun
  • These are the remnants of clothes discarded in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and elsewhere that arrive in the northern Indian city of Panipat by the truckload, spilling over in loose, overflowing heaps.
    Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
  • While there are traces of the home’s original state, including remnants of wallpaper under the basement stairs, much has been changed in the Prevost family’s absence.
    Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vestiges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vestiges. Accessed 13 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on vestiges

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster