tracing 1 of 2

noun

ˈtrā-siŋ How to pronounce tracing (audio)
Definition of tracingnext
as in pursuit
the act of going after or in the tracks of another the tracing of this mountain lion is going to be difficult if the rain washes away all of the tracks

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

tracing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of trace
1
as in defining
to draw or make apparent the outline of trace your hand onto this piece of paper

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in tracking
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

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 tracing
Noun
The department was in the process of conducting contact tracing. — Finch Walker, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 The crisis is exacerbated by conflict and attacks on healthcare, making contact tracing and isolation vital alongside vaccination efforts. — Victoria Forster, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
But tracing where guns came from and whether they have been used in other crimes is time-consuming. — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026 The collection is also a seasonal day book, tracing a year of temperature changes, blooms, and dyings-off. — Craig Morgan Teicher, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tracing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tracing
  1. pursuit
  2. defining
  3. tracking
  4. outlining
  5. chasing
  6. sketching
  7. pursuing
  8. circling
Noun
  • The pursuit of greater efficiency has also been applied to the company’s workforce, which has undergone recent layoffs.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The memo came the day that courtroom testimony highlighted ways in which two ICE officers involved in a vehicle stop, pursuit and shooting that wounded a delivery driver in Austin last month would not have complied with the new guidance.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of pursuit
Verb
  • Later still, we are introduced to Satoko Iijima (Ishida), who again shares many defining features with her two namesakes, albeit with just enough subtle differences to keep the audience on the back foot.
    — James Marsh, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Every generation has had to master the defining tools of its era.
    — Mary Moreland, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of defining
Verb
  • Diesel has risen 77% this year, putting it on track for the largest year-on-year percentage increase since AAA started tracking the data in 2000.
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The Edge’s fitness monitoring capabilities will include tracking steps, distance, calories, skin temperature, sleep, cardiac load, and menstrual cycles.
    — Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of tracking
Verb
  • Look east and southeast after dark for the Great Square of Pegasus — four moderately bright stars (Scheat, Alpheratz, Markab and Algenib) outlining an enormous square.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • In 2025, Stephen Blumberg, the director of the CDC division that oversees the survey, published a memo outlining the redesign.
    — O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of outlining
Verb
  • The story plays out in New York’s cutthroat acting scene, where a talented Indian actor chasing his craft falls under the sway of Keitel’s teacher.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The Padres lost for only the fourth time in their last 24 outings despite chasing ace Jacob Misiorowski after four innings.
    — Steve Megargee, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of chasing
Verb
  • Parker, who started his career as a shoe designer, would sometimes sit in meetings sketching sneakers in his notebook.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Though Sharpe’s character is an exquisite artist, often making flip books of his surfing experiences in Los Angeles with Kristen and sketching her portraits, the actor says that in reality, his art is a little less refined.
    — Alex Ross, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of sketching
Verb
  • When Tian’s solo project began gaining traction, Cui was pursuing a master’s in computer science and machine learning at the University of Toronto and working on autonomous-vehicle research.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The city is pursuing a more ambitious vision for the site, formalized in 2021, that would see the property transformed not just with housing, but also entertainment and hotels.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of pursuing
Verb
  • The restaurant was loud, with photographers circling the art patrons like vultures.
    — Eileen Kelly, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The possible deal follows major Hollywood studios and streamers earlier circling the movie inspired by the biggest video game of 2025.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of circling

Browse Nearby Words

traces
tracing
track
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tracing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tracing. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of inscrutable

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All