1
as in to define
to draw or make apparent the outline of
trace your hand onto this piece of paper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to track
to go after or on the track of
police traced the burglar back to his apartment, where they discovered a ton of stolen loot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in trail
a mark or series of marks left on a surface by something that has passed along it
the wolf came and went without leaving a trace on the hard, dry ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in road
a passage cleared for public vehicular travel
an old trace that dates back to the days of the covered wagon
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in path
a rough course or way formed by or as if by repeated footsteps
stay on the trace, or you'll get lost in these thick woods
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in relic
a tiny often physical indication of something lost or vanished
a ship that appears to have vanished without a trace on the high seas
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in shred
a very small amount
doctors detected only a trace of bacteria in the blood sample but put the patient on antibiotics just in case
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in hint
an almost imperceptible sign of something
there didn't seem to be so much as a trace of the truth to anything he said
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 trace
Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Dec. 2024
Inspired by a true story, the book traces the life of Lorenzo Senesi from Italy.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 Dec. 2024
Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
Drivers should still be careful even in trace snow, NWS meteorologist Kacie Fuson said.
—Noe Padilla, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for trace 
Verb
Yet some families are today trying to trace disappearances that long predate the civil war.
—Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Dec. 2024
Inspired by a true story, the book traces the life of Lorenzo Senesi from Italy.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
Minneapolis had a trace, while Green Bay and Burlington were seeing bare ground, based on weather service data from Monday morning.
—Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
Drivers should still be careful even in trace snow, NWS meteorologist Kacie Fuson said.
—Noe Padilla, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for trace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trace
Verb
-
Should there be laws about how AI purposes are defined, instilled, maintained, and overhauled (see my analysis of the legal facets of AI, at the link here)?Lance Eliot, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024
-
Human technology and art are two institutions that are defined by their ability to surprise us.C. Brandon Ogbunu, WIRED, 21 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Teran is accused of sending court records to a colleague in 2021 as part of an effort to track cops with disciplinary histories.Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
-
Visitors can track Santa's flight from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. ET.Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 24 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
The program includes a beginner lesson, skiing or snowboarding rental equipment and a lift pass for the beginner area or cross-country trail.Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 20 Dec. 2024
-
Blood trail leads in another direction David Williams was the first police officer to arrive at the scene.Keith Sharon, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
After the loss, the Broncos turned around for a road Thursday night game, mastering the difficult condensed week to defeat the Saints in New Orleans on Oct. 17.Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024
-
Every heat pump installed has the equivalent climate impact of taking two gas vehicles off the road.Susan Miller, Baltimore Sun, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Shamet re-signed with the Knicks on a one-year deal Sunday, clearing the path for his return in Monday’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors.Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 24 Dec. 2024
-
Maybe there’s no path forward for either of them without each other.Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 24 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
The existing wallpaper was a relic of the former tenant’s penchant for drama and glamour.Linne Halpern, Architectural Digest, 12 Dec. 2024
-
Instead, there’s an honor system — just take a drink, leave a donation and soak up the relics of a bygone era.Karen Gilchrist, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Cave pearls are known to form around a nucleus, which can be made from a number of materials, such as rocky fragments, mud pieces, blue algae, wood shreds and animal bones.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
-
The Arizona Republican published multiple recipes for chop suey aimed at white housewives, including one made of pork, mushrooms and celery served over Kellogg’s corn soya shreds cereal instead of rice.Reia Li, The Arizona Republic, 11 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
As anyone who's been to Atlantic City can tell you, video poker's hold-and-draw hand-building involves only the barest hint of strategy and is designed so the house always wins.Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 22 Dec. 2024
-
Scientists sought hints about how our solar system came to be—and about the origin of one class of molecules in particular.Elise Cutts, WIRED, 22 Dec. 2024
Articles Related to trace
Thesaurus Entries Near trace
Cite this Entry
“Trace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trace. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share