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
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
After last year’s massive layoffs, several divisions inside Paramount Skydance (such as the cable outlets and the last vestiges of Showtime) have been cut to the bone.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
These vestiges are typically hauled to landfills for disposal.
—Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2026
By inertia, some vestiges remain of the awful weeks in 2022 when enemy forces stood at the edge of Kyiv.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
Here, at what may be one of the last vestiges of the true dude ranch, Saturday nights are for group cookouts, guests are encouraged to wear vests to dinner, and horses are central to the entire experience.
—Asonta Benetti, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
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
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
After last year’s massive layoffs, several divisions inside Paramount Skydance (such as the cable outlets and the last vestiges of Showtime) have been cut to the bone.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
These vestiges are typically hauled to landfills for disposal.
—Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2026
By inertia, some vestiges remain of the awful weeks in 2022 when enemy forces stood at the edge of Kyiv.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
Here, at what may be one of the last vestiges of the true dude ranch, Saturday nights are for group cookouts, guests are encouraged to wear vests to dinner, and horses are central to the entire experience.
—Asonta Benetti, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vestiges
Noun
-
These virtues are not irrelevant relics.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Those decisions suggest some automakers are starting to treat physical controls not as outdated relics but as useful tools.—
Chris Teague,
AJC.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
None of us decided to follow in our parents’ violent footsteps.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Indonesia plans under-16 social media ban Following in Australia’s footsteps Indonesia will ban social media for children under 16 beginning this month.—
Barbara Ortutay,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Even factory resets may leave traces of data, so some recyclers will go as far as shredding a device's hard drive — and verify it's been destroyed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Today, very few traces of it remain.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That would flip two trends — growing footprints and skyrocketing prices — in one piece of legislation.—
Mark Dee
March 28,
Idaho Statesman,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Gosling fell in love with the piece but suggested a version of it with fox faces and fox footprints instead.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Egyptian archaeologists recently unearthed the remnants of a Christian monastic site from the 5th century, some 400 years after the time of Jesus Christ.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2026
-
On March 6, Ecuadoran armed forces returned, this time to bomb the remnants of Miguel's property, captured in a video shared by the Department of War.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vestiges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vestiges. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
