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 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
  • It's taken a team of Cambodian investigators led by Brad Gordon, an American lawyer, more than 10 years to document the theft of thousands of ancient statues and relics by a British collector named Douglas Latchford.
    Anderson Cooper, CBS News, 28 June 2026
  • Those collectible objects are presented side by side with theatrical relics, historical artifacts, and items collected by Bob during his travels.
    Adrian Madlener, Curbed, 27 June 2026
Noun
  • Luke Russert is returning to television, following in the footsteps of his father Tim Russert - once a household name on Sunday mornings in America.
    Jay Stahl, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Now, following in the footsteps of singing icon Stevie Nicks — who had Barbie dolls made of her as a member of Fleetwood Mac and another as a solo artist featuring her Bella Donna album look — Cyrus has officially been immortalized in plastic.
    Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • Merging my finances with someone else’s, to my mind, would eliminate all traces of my efforts to achieve financial independence.
    Christina Wyman, Vogue, 28 June 2026
  • Small parts of the wheel were salvaged, and a few traces of the fair remain today.
    Suzanne Le Mignot, CBS News, 27 June 2026
Noun
  • Larger retail footprints mean more logistics, more displays, and tighter timelines.
    Esha Chhabra, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • The father noticed footprints in the snow that ended at a stone wall.
    Mike Toole, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • The fact that scientific excavations take place and some remnants are saved is thanks to the nation’s first comprehensive local archaeological preservation laws, approved by Miami and Miami-Dade County in the 1980s.
    Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
  • In addition to remnants of textile production, the Søften dig turned up silver scraps, coins and pearls that testify to trade and economic activity in the region.
    Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Vestiges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vestiges. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.

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