vestiges

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

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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

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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 The wall drawings also contain erasure marks, vestiges of the artist’s false starts and corrections. Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026 In a follow-up exam conducted six years after the infection, vestiges of the virus’s RNA were found in the man’s semen. Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 15 May 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vestiges
Noun
  • Over centuries, relics of saints have been buried in the caves, according to UNESCO.
    Victoria Butenko, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
  • Books, movies, and museums have become increasingly interactive, but there's still nothing quite like standing in the very places where fossils and relics were discovered, or watching history reenacted.
    Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • Following in her mother's footsteps, Judith Sheldon pursued a brief acting career in the 1950s.
    Noe Padilla, USA Today, 19 June 2026
  • Kensington Palace recently confirmed the young king-to-be will be following in Prince William and Prince Harry's footsteps by enrolling at the prestigious school.
    Lara Walsh, InStyle, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • It's believed a similar construction may have existed early on at Stonehenge itself, but any traces of that structure would have been erased as development continued into what is there today.
    Adam England, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026
  • The demand the money is chasing The spending traces to a supply problem Alphabet has described in unusually blunt terms.
    Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • That includes the continent’s two major economies - China and India - both with huge renewable energy footprints.
    Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
  • The brand is also planning on more store openings in China, with bigger store footprints, which Sole sees as a plus.
    Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • As the Khairas were moving into their new brick colonial, which already felt steeped in another era, workers began dismantling the old backyard carousel and other remnants of a private fairy-tale landscape.
    David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2026
  • This photo provided by Kylie Rouse shows the remnants of Shane and Jimmie Tipton's home in Unionville, Missouri, on June 10, 2026, after a tornado struck.
    CBS News, CBS News, 12 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Vestiges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vestiges. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.

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