vestiges

Definition of vestigesnext
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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vestiges
Noun
  • Legend has it that these relics are the remains of martyrs from the early days of Christianity in Rome that were discovered in the 16th century in unmarked graves in the city's catacombs.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 May 2026
  • Channel Islands National Park, California A throwback to old California, the five-island park preserves paleolithic digs, frontier-era ranches and relics of Spanish exploration.
    CNN.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
Noun
  • Jordan, who uses he/they pronouns, has followed in his mom’s footsteps and pursued a career in the arts.
    Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
  • The place is a sound-effects recording studio, with three sound designers creating and dubbing aural effects — footsteps on a sandy beach, flapping bird wings — onto pieces of film footage.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • As a result, traces of Denisovan DNA live on in some humans today — something interbreeding geneticists call admixture.
    Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
  • Crucially, the entire supply chain traces back to quartz — essentially sand — with no dependency on China.
    Gene Berdichevsky, Fortune, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • Why This Market Evolution Matters In practical terms, biomanufacturing can reduce dependency on volatile crop yields, seasonal constraints and the capital expenditures associated with large cultivation footprints.
    Thomas Andersen, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2026
  • Company leaders said the expansion reflects growing demand for smaller, more flexible grocery footprints in urban areas.
    Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • These are the remnants of clothes discarded in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and elsewhere that arrive in the northern Indian city of Panipat by the truckload, spilling over in loose, overflowing heaps.
    Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
  • While there are traces of the home’s original state, including remnants of wallpaper under the basement stairs, much has been changed in the Prevost family’s absence.
    Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Vestiges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vestiges. Accessed 16 May. 2026.

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