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 There, in the face of cultural homogenization, artificial intelligence, and corporate overhaul, the vestiges of the Blank Generation remain, and their stories, now immortalized as myth, continue to propel New York’s creative engine. Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 4 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 Woven through the city are vestiges of that trauma and strife from years past and from days and weeks present. Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026 Roots in vestiges of Cold War anxieties (the same time period in which the Fermi Paradox emerged), tech leaders often saw a false binary of either limitless prosperity or complete societal collapse, Charbonneau argued. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vestiges
Noun
  • Yet, through careful restoration, elements like Pabst’s bar and other relics have been preserved and restored to showcase the rich history of this tie to Wisconsin’s past.
    Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The Artifact Exhibition has introduced an add-on VR activity to its walk-through display with relics and reproductions tied to the ship that famously sank in 1912.
    Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Watched him at Duke and have been following his footsteps, going to play for [Jon] Scheyer at Duke and then coming into the league.
    Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026
  • And that's great for Zamboni's on Seventh Street, which is just footsteps from Grand Casino Arena.
    John Lauritsen, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The adaptation retains traces of its literary roots—there are multiple nods to Nabokov, including a bakery named after Charlotte Haze, Lolita’s mother—but its bookishness is mostly window dressing.
    Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Prosecutors said the evidence presented in the murder case included video, traces of DNA from a cellphone dropped by the gunman that matched Brasser and ballistics matching a gun found in Brasser’s mother’s home.
    Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Drops of blood and footprints led from the scene to a Buick car hidden under a tree, prosecutors wrote in a charging document.
    Daniel Wu, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Leave only footprints during sakura season.
    Alexandra Gillespie, Outside, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The remnants of three missions from the Spanish colonial era are protected by the Tumacácori National Historical Park, just about four miles south of town.
    Molly Allen, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026
  • When assessing which military is responsible for a particular strike – in any conflict – CNN typically obtains images of the remnants of the weapons used in the attack and provides these to munitions experts so that their provenance can be assessed.
    Gianluca Mezzofiore, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026

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“Vestiges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vestiges. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

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