trace

/treɪs/
verb
  1. To find or discover someone or something by following clues or evidence.
    • She traced her family history back to the 18th century.
    • Scientists traced the source of the virus to a local market.
    • The detective traced the missing package to a warehouse across town.
  2. To copy a drawing, map, or design by drawing over its lines on a transparent sheet.
    • He traced the map onto a new piece of paper using tracing paper.
    • The child traced the outline of a dinosaur from the book.
    • She traced the pattern carefully with a pencil.
  3. To follow the course or path of something.
    • He traced the line of the equator on the globe with his finger.
    • We traced the river's route from the mountains to the sea.
    • The hikers traced a narrow trail through the forest.
  4. To describe or outline something in a careful or detailed way.
    • Her speech traced the history of the company from its founding.
    • The article traces the rise of social media over the last decade.
    • The professor traced the development of democracy in ancient Greece.
Antonyms
noun
  1. A very small amount of something.
    • She spoke with a trace of an accent.
    • The scientist found traces of gold in the rock sample.
    • There was a trace of salt in the soup.
  2. A mark, sign, or evidence that something existed or happened.
    • The old house showed no trace of its former beauty.
    • The police found traces of blood at the crime scene.
    • All traces of the ancient civilization have disappeared.
  3. A path or track made by someone or something moving.
    • There was a trace of footprints leading to the door.
    • The deer left a trace in the soft mud.
    • The hikers followed the trace through the snow.
Synonyms