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trace

/tɹeɪs/noun, verb1 syllable

Trace means: follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something.

Synonyms for trace36

noun, as in a just detectable amount

noun, as in an indication that something has been present

vestige, tincture, shadow

noun, as in a suggestion of some quality

noun, as in a drawing created by superimposing a semitransparent sheet of paper on the original image and copying on it the lines of the original image

verb, as in follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something

follow, watch, observe, watch over, keep an eye on, keep up, keep abreast

verb, as in make a mark or lines on a surface

draw, line, describe, delineate

verb, as in pursue or chase relentlessly

verb, as in to go back over again

retrace

verb, as in read with difficulty

decipher

also used for trace

track, trail, show, ace, atom, thought, atomy, aught, bissel, bit, crumb, glimpse

Includes material from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

What does trace mean?14

verb

1

follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something“We must follow closely the economic development is Cuba”

2

make a mark or lines on a surface“draw a line”

3

pursue or chase relentlessly“The hunters traced the deer into the woods”

4

to go back over again“we retraced the route we took last summer”

5

read with difficulty“Can you decipher this letter?”

6

discover traces of“She traced the circumstances of her birth”

7

make one's course or travel along a path; travel or pass over, around, or along“The children traced along the edge of the dark forest”

8

copy by following the lines of the original drawing on a transparent sheet placed upon it; make a tracing of“trace a design”

noun

1

a just detectable amount“he speaks French with a trace of an accent”

2

an indication that something has been present“there wasn't a trace of evidence for the claim”

3

a suggestion of some quality“there was a touch of sarcasm in his tone”

4

a drawing created by superimposing a semitransparent sheet of paper on the original image and copying on it the lines of the original image

5

either of two lines that connect a horse's harness to a wagon or other vehicle or to a whiffletree

6

a visible mark (as a footprint) left by the passage of person or animal or vehicle

Definitions from the Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

What rhymes with trace?19

Show 40 near rhymes

Trace in a sentence

  • Fortified foods are foods that contain vitamins, minerals, and trace elements.AlanF_US
  • One moment he was there, and the next, he vanished without a trace.Nuel
  • There is no trace of him, he disappeared.tieguy
  • After cleaning the windows, there always seems to be a visible trace of dirt.unknown
  • Of the ship, not a trace was to be seen.Hybrid
  • Some day, the boy disappeared without a trace.marcelostockle
  • Trace the shape onto the paper, then cut it out.mhattick
  • The berry has a somewhat tart flavor, fairly earthy with traces of sweetness.CM

Sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR, credited to their authors.

Forms of trace

as a noun

plural
traces

as a verb

past tense
traced
present participle
tracing
third-person singular
traces
past participle
traced