tracing

1 of 2

noun

trac·​ing ˈtrā-siŋ How to pronounce tracing (audio)
Synonyms of tracingnext
1
: something that is traced: such as
a
: a copy made on a superimposed transparent sheet
b
: a graphic record made by an instrument (such as a seismograph) that registers some movement
2
: the act of one that traces

tracing

2 of 2

present participle of trace entry 2

Synonyms of tracing

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of tracing in a Sentence

Noun the tracing of this mountain lion is going to be difficult if the rain washes away all of the tracks
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
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 But contact tracing has been especially difficult, with 60% to 70% of new cases detected among people who weren't already being monitored, meaning infected people can spread the virus before health workers know to follow them. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026 Conahan was arrested in February 1997, accused of raping Montgomery, strangling him and cutting off his genitals to eliminate DNA tracing. — Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tracing

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tracing was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing tracing

Rhymes for tracing

See All Rhymes for tracing

Browse Nearby Words

trachytoid
tracing
tracing cloth
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tracing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tracing. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

tracing

noun
trac·​ing
ˈtrā-siŋ
1
: the act of one that traces
2
: something that is traced

Medical Definition

tracing

noun
trac·​ing ˈtrā-siŋ How to pronounce tracing (audio)
: a graphic record made by an instrument (as an electrocardiograph) that registers some movement
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
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
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All