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
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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
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Recent Examples of vestiges
The Front Page Highlights The president used a keynote speech at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland to renounce the last vestiges of the liberal democratic order.
—
Peter S. Goodman Katie Glueck Apoorva Mandavilli Michael Thomsen, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2026
Woven through the city are vestiges of that trauma and strife from years past and from days and weeks present.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
Roots in vestiges of Cold War anxieties (the same time period in which the Fermi Paradox emerged), tech leaders often saw a false binary of either limitless prosperity or complete societal collapse, Charbonneau argued.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
Its grand but long-abandoned buildings — vestiges of a bygone era when the automobile was king — have been transformed into galleries and hotels.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Several design vestiges remain from its heyday welcoming famous guests, lavish parties and cabaret shows including the iconic landmark neon sign at the top of the building.
—Sara Liss, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Jan. 2026
In the aftermath of the Pueblos’ military victory, Po’pay led an effort to eradicate the last vestiges of Catholicism in New Mexico.
—Peter C. Mancall, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2026
Chaplin holds many vestiges of its former ownership, from an old saw mill and furnace from when Chaplin was making his films, to his footsteps, to a gigantic set of muppet eyes overlooking the soundstage room.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 5 Jan. 2026
When in American history have all the wheels fallen off the cart because our highest officials and the Supreme Court itself have decided to ignore and eliminate vestiges of the Constitution?
—Robert Kesten, Sun Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2026
Peter S. Goodman Katie Glueck Apoorva Mandavilli Michael Thomsen, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2026
Woven through the city are vestiges of that trauma and strife from years past and from days and weeks present.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
Roots in vestiges of Cold War anxieties (the same time period in which the Fermi Paradox emerged), tech leaders often saw a false binary of either limitless prosperity or complete societal collapse, Charbonneau argued.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
Its grand but long-abandoned buildings — vestiges of a bygone era when the automobile was king — have been transformed into galleries and hotels.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Several design vestiges remain from its heyday welcoming famous guests, lavish parties and cabaret shows including the iconic landmark neon sign at the top of the building.
—Sara Liss, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Jan. 2026
In the aftermath of the Pueblos’ military victory, Po’pay led an effort to eradicate the last vestiges of Catholicism in New Mexico.
—Peter C. Mancall, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2026
Chaplin holds many vestiges of its former ownership, from an old saw mill and furnace from when Chaplin was making his films, to his footsteps, to a gigantic set of muppet eyes overlooking the soundstage room.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 5 Jan. 2026
When in American history have all the wheels fallen off the cart because our highest officials and the Supreme Court itself have decided to ignore and eliminate vestiges of the Constitution?
—Robert Kesten, Sun Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vestiges
Noun
-
The historic downtown is full of antique mining relics and quirky businesses.—
Jen Murphy,
Outside,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The square Edelman and fellow students dug in, after determining the spot might yield interesting relics, did produce tiles, pieces of ceramic and more.—
Helen I. Bennett,
Hartford Courant,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Seems Marsa Luna is following in the footsteps of its older sibling, then.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Idris the Valentine’s cow stomps in the footsteps of Squishmallows’ viral strawberry cow and the subsequent bestselling blueberry cow.—
Jacquelyn Smith,
Parents,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In each place, searching for traces of Katharine Blodgett’s intellectual and personal footprint.—
Natalia Sánchez Loayza,
Scientific American,
29 Jan. 2026
-
This sequence of events is supported by the fact that traces of Mogen and Goncalves' blood was found on the door of Mogen's bedroom, the stairwell and bannister leading from the third to the second floor of the home, and on the walls near Kernodle's bedroom, according to the filing.—
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
As companies such as Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Meta continue expanding their AI data center footprints, virtual twins are becoming essential for long-term planning, helping operators balance performance, sustainability, and costs as AI infrastructure scales.—
Gary Drenik,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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And there were bloody footprints where mercy should have stood.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The remnants of a 19th-century shipwreck have been unearthed on the beach at a New Jersey state park.—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
23 Jan. 2026
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For someone like Crystal, whose childhood would have been violently destroyed by the Rage outbreak, the remnants of human culture become distorted scripture.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vestiges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vestiges. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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