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

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 the 1990s, vestiges of the fallen New Religious Right began evolving to meet the moment. Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026 Rafael Devers and Jung Hoo Lee were the only vestiges from the group that started behind Webb on opening day. Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026 The heart-palpitating rhythms and glitchy stutters suggest some unholy mix of early Plastikman and Mark Fell, the vestiges of ’90s dance music reanimated into a herky-jerky Frankenstein’s monster. Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 4 Aug. 2026 The Dynasty contains some vestiges of its label showcase origins, including two clunky Memphis Bleek tracks with no Jay-Z verses. Al Shipley, SPIN, 14 July 2026 The architecture of the public spaces remains largely intact, with vestiges of its past visible in spaces like Stagg Court, once a basketball court and gym. Rima Suqi, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026 Little parts of your vestiges — politically — are gonna be scattered all over the state of Michigan, never to be seen again. David Weigel, semafor.com, 1 July 2026 For anyone wanting to see or experience the sites and vestiges of Miami’s ancient inhabitants, the people known as Tequesta and their even more enigmatic Archaic forebears, there are only a few places to go. Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vestiges
Noun
  • Simonian is believed to have smuggled Egyptian relics to institutions that include the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Louvre Abu Dhabi for a collective sum of $64 million.
    News Desk, Artforum, 26 Aug. 2026
  • In Freeport, Allen has built the Bahamas Maritime Museum, where relics are cataloged, conserved, and displayed, creating local jobs and drawing tourists.
    Brett Berk, Robb Report, 22 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Cook followed in Jobs' footsteps, taking the stage for every major Apple product launch, which garners headlines and millions of viewers around the world.
    Kif Leswing, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Orbitals follows in these classics’ footsteps, tackling subjects like agency of choice and forgiveness.
    George Yang, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Neanderthals and Denisovans left behind fossils — from which scientists could extract DNA — as well as identifiable traces in human genes.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • If that prediction is wrong, the processor discards the work, although traces can remain behind.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Her massive concrete site-work, which takes up the entirety of the Geffen Galleries plaza, is peppered with fragmentary representations of the Mesoamerican deity Quetzalcoatl and the simulated footprints of Californian fauna.
    George Baker, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • There’s action in Beverly Hills, as luxury brands, developers and restaurant groups expand their footprints and make bigger bets on the city.
    Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Dolly's remnants also bringing rain Elsewhere, the hurricane center is keeping an eye on whether the remnants of Tropical Storm Dolly could develop again.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • This handout image released by the Grand Canyon National Park Service via X (formerly Twitter) on August 30, 2026 shows remnants of stone bridge pylons along Bright Angel Creek following a flash flood that destroyed the footbridge on August 29.
    Trevor Ault, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Vestiges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vestiges. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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