Synonyms for

Trace

Verb / treɪs / Another word for trace — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

to follow or discover the course or development of something

Synonyms & similar words

tracing shadow touch delineate ghost draw retrace follow line describe hound suggestion decipher tincture hunt hint vestige track follow pursue hunt investigate explore seek search detect monitor verify uncover reveal locate find ascertain pinpoint unearth

Synonyms by register

Formal

indication vestige remnant evidence

Informal

hint clue sign smidgen

Literary

footprint shadow echo

Antonyms

lead guide direct pioneer originate initiate

Common collocations

  • trace evidence
  • trace amounts
  • trace back
  • trace a route
  • trace a pattern
  • trace the origin
  • leave no trace

Word family

noun trace
verb trace
adjective traceable

Usage note

As a noun, 'trace' often refers to a very small amount or a sign of something. As a verb, it means to follow the course or development of something.

Example sentences

  1. I will trace my finger along the map to show you where we are going.
  2. The detective is trying to trace the missing person's whereabouts.
  3. She will trace her family history back to the 1700s.
  4. He will trace the design onto the paper before painting.
  5. The artist will trace the portrait from a photograph.

Quotes

  • The true test of a leader is whether his followers will adhere to his cause from their own volition, enduring the most arduous hardships without being forced to do so, and remaining steadfast in the moments of greatest peril. - Xenophon
  • The most important thing in life is to stop saying 'I wish' and start saying 'I will.' Consider nothing impossible, then treat possibilities as probabilities. - Charles Dickens
  • The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. - Nelson Mandela

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