1
as in path
a rough course or way formed by or as if by repeated footsteps
took a trail through the woods to get to the main road
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in track
a mark or series of marks left on a surface by something that has passed along it
the slugs left a slimy trail on the sidewalk
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to track
to go after or on the track of
we trailed our friend into the woods, inadvertently spoiling his plans for a solitary hike
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 trail
Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 18 July 2025
The unspoiled nature and mountain views drew him in and between the hiking paths, equestrian trails, an overnight camping facility and 40 miles of class A trout streams there’s always something for the Orrs to get into.
—Mike Dojc, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 July 2025
Those interest payments will hit $1 trillion next year, trailing only Social Security as the government’s biggest outlay, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a think tank.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for trail
Noun
Just outside the shooting scene, a blood trail led around the corner to a little patch of grass overlooking Flushing Bay.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 18 July 2025
The unspoiled nature and mountain views drew him in and between the hiking paths, equestrian trails, an overnight camping facility and 40 miles of class A trout streams there’s always something for the Orrs to get into.
—Mike Dojc, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
Verb
The visitors kept it close, trailing just 90-86 with 3:32 remaining after Veronica Burton’s triple from straightaway and 92-90 on Janelle Salaun’s layup.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 July 2025
Those interest payments will hit $1 trillion next year, trailing only Social Security as the government’s biggest outlay, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a think tank.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for trail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trail
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
-
Spanning over 2,000 miles of open trail and eventually stretching 3,700 miles from Washington, D.C., to Washington state, the route stitches together a patchwork of rail-trails, greenways, historic paths, and multi-use trails that span across 12 states.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
22 July 2025
Noun
-
Special shoutout to ex-Tigers righty Max Scherzer, who’s off the IL and on track to start Sunday, July 27 — his 41st birthday — for the Jays.—
Ryan Ford,
Freep.com,
22 July 2025
-
North Texas, in particular, is on track for its first 100-degree day of the summer, likely arriving Thursday or Friday according to the National Weather Service.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
22 July 2025
Verb
-
And that’s what all three of these companies are chasing: trust, at scale.—
Olumuyiwa Olowogboyega,
semafor.com,
14 July 2025
-
Again, don’t run: Bears will chase you, just like a dog would.—
Mike Stunson
July 14,
Kansas City Star,
14 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
-
However, the meteorites contained only trace amounts of plagioclase, a mineral believed to dominate Mercury’s surface.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
14 July 2025
-
Thomas Crooks, the 20-year-old weirdo who somehow managed to crawl onto that roof and get a clean line of sight to the biggest target in the world, left virtually no trace.—
Carlo Versano,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
Rather than pursuing general-purpose models that compete with ChatGPT, Switzerland aims to develop large language models for specific applications in fields such as science, education, healthcare, robotics and climate studies.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
Together, they’re pursued by Magneto's (Ian McKellen) Brotherhood of Mutants and eventually rescued by Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and the X-Men.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
Oil and gas investing has long been a pathway to financial success for those who understand the industry’s unique opportunities.—
Forbes Books Press Release Official,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
In the East, LeBron alongside Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro would have a pathway to a potential deeper playoff run.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
Five years later Larson had amassed 1.2 million TikTok followers, and his internet footprint included an Instagram account with 87,000 followers and a YouTube channel with more than 16,000 subscribers.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
21 July 2025
-
The meeting will focus on evacuation zones in the Paradox Valley. More than 500 firefighters and experts responding to the South Rim fire in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park kept the fire from making any large runs Friday, with the fire’s footprint growing just 27 acres as of Saturday.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
19 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trail. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share