track 1 of 2

1
2
as in path
a rough course or way formed by or as if by repeated footsteps there was still a faint track through the underbrush that indicated where the path used to be

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in route
the direction along which something or someone moves I followed the track of the thief's eyes as he watched the woman put the money into her purse and walk away

Synonyms & Similar Words

track

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word track distinct from other similar nouns?

The words trace and vestige are common synonyms of track. While all three words mean "a perceptible sign made by something that has passed," track implies a continuous line that can be followed.

the fossilized tracks of dinosaurs

When can trace be used instead of track?

In some situations, the words trace and track are roughly equivalent. However, trace may suggest any line, mark, or discernible effect.

the killer left no traces

Where would vestige be a reasonable alternative to track?

While in some cases nearly identical to track, vestige applies to a tangible reminder such as a fragment or remnant of what is past and gone.

boulders that are vestiges of the last ice age

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 track
Noun
This helps apply pre-set engine braking, traction control, and wheelie control to enhance safety, performance, and rider confidence on both road and track. Utkarsh Sood july 20, New Atlas, 20 July 2025 Dixon is the most recent repeat winner at this race, having captured the 2022 victory, adding to his past wins in this race in 2018 and both races here in 2013, when IndyCar ran two races in two days on this track. Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 July 2025
Verb
Taylor told me Caravello can leave his home, but he’s surrendered his passport, is wearing an ankle monitor which tracks all of his movements, and he’s barred from leaving California to visit his family in Arizona. Literary Hub, 21 July 2025 This argument is a common complaint of groups suing the Trump administration, with more than 100 lawsuits citing alleged violations of the APA, according to the nonprofit Just Security, which tracks legal challenges to Trump administration actions. Elissa Nadworny, NPR, 21 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for track
Recent Examples of Synonyms for track
Noun
  • Less than an hour after police arrived and started scouring the trails, screams in the distance led them to the bodies of Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 31 July 2025
  • One day, after hiking a local trail, Millie and Tim drink from a magical water source that triggers some harrowing side effects.
    Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 31 July 2025
Noun
  • But what made this fire so much more dangerous was not its proximity but the fuel in its path.
    Faith Barton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 July 2025
  • There are flowerpots all the way to the edges of the paths for the mole crickets.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 2025
Noun
  • Hundreds of species, from as far as South America, commonly stop in Kentucky to find food and rest their wings after traveling for miles along their aerial route.
    Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 24 July 2025
  • Some compare the terraced ruins to Machu Picchu, but with only a few dozen visitors reaching this architectural marvel every day via trekking routes loving cared for and protected by indigenous communities, the experience of a visit couldn't be further from that at the overrun city of the Incas.
    Carley Rojas Ávila, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Verb
  • The song is a tribute to musical nomads who chase the impulses of a song around the globe.
    Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 14 July 2025
  • An ax-wielding stranger initially mistaken for a delivery driver chased a woman into her home, then led deputies on a 13-mile chase, a California sheriff’s office reported.
    Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • Zion is popular with adventure travelers for challenging hikes such as The Narrows, where hikers traverse Zion Canyon through its narrowest section, which has 1,000-foot-tall walls.
    Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 25 July 2025
  • Workplaces now are traversing through unique communication barriers, expectations, and leadership dynamics, and Cecile Peterkin, a seasoned leadership coach, mentor, and founder of The Leadership Coaching Center, has witnessed these dynamics firsthand.
    Nia Bowers, USA Today, 22 July 2025
Noun
  • These linguistic traces, quietly embedded in the city’s layout, are a reminder that York’s Viking past is never far beneath the surface.
    David Nikel, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
  • In addition to houses, researchers discovered traces of production facilities and sanctuaries.
    Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 July 2025
Noun
  • Viewers were able to see one of the siblings stroll calmly along a worn footpath, perfectly in step with an invisible rhythm.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
  • Paille also said that urban areas could be redesigned to separate roads from footpaths.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 27 May 2025
Noun
  • Or the ways that the Reyes family has lived in fear since Jose and his father were detained in early May.
    Austin Hornbostel, The Tennessean, 26 July 2025
  • The task force would submit a report with recommendations to the state Legislature after examining the systemic causes of violence against African American women and girls, ways to help victims' families heal, methods to track data to understand the scope of the issue and more.
    Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 26 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Track.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/track. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.

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