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

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 Making Juneteenth a national holiday is the closest our country has gotten to acknowledging the truth about enslavement and its vestiges. Marcus Anthony Hunter, Time, 19 June 2026 Centuries later, their vestiges resurface. Jenny S. Li, Variety, 17 June 2026 Despite the initial welcome for such interventions, local populations largely came to view these troops as ineffective vestiges of the colonial era. Kaitlyn Rabe, The Conversation, 16 June 2026 Our main point is that the instant amplification of these acts, often with inaccurate context, implies that vestiges of the Klan are roaming Chicago streets. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026 When the last vestiges of the classic-rock era finally fade, many of the moments that made up its truest essence will be impossible to explain to those who missed it. Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 14 June 2026 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
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
  • The heavy rain, fueled in part by the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur, drenched much of the Southeast from Texas to the Florida Panhandle, causing flash flood emergencies, washing out roads, and prompting emergency rescues.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 20 June 2026
  • In the South, including in eastern Texas, Louisiana, southern Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur continue to sweep through the region.
    Denise Chow, NBC news, 20 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vestiges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vestiges. Accessed 22 Jun. 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