RESIDUE Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

residue

noun

ˈre-zə-ˌdü

Definition of residue

as in debris

the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed the detective noticed an ashy residue in the sink and deduced that a piece of paper had been burned there

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in remainder

a remaining group or portion the residue of our Thanksgiving feast consisted of a denuded turkey carcass and a couple rolls

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 residue Key Takeaways Wash removable parts daily with warm, soapy water to prevent residue and bacteria. — Patricia S York, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2026 My hair looks healthier and feels way smoother, and my final look comes out polished without any greasy residue. — Valeriya Chupinina, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026 There is accumulation of food and residue on the floors under the prep line equipment. — Nwa Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026 In a utensil drawer, four knives were seen with food residue on the blades. — Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for residue

Recent Examples of Synonyms for residue

Noun

Avon Street remains closed from Merriman to Niagara Street as crews clear the roadway of debris.

— Elle Meyers, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
However, throwing it back over the fence could create another dispute, particularly if doing so amounts to dumping debris on your neighbor’s property.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of debris

Noun

To be clear, this remains a bull market, the S&P 500's uptrend unbroken, with constant rotations between AI tech and remainder of the market fitfully supporting the tape, with pullbacks limited to 3% for half a year.

— Michael Santoli, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026
The agreement would provide Warner's daughter with the majority remainder of the Warner Family Trust and estate but remains subject to court approval, Pamela Warner's attorneys said.

— Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of remainder

Noun

Hours later, a group of rescuers in hard hats were using poles stripped from trees to poke at the huge pile of rubble.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Some opening day effects are long gone, such as the illusion created by actual shifting doors at the start of the attraction, or visions of tumbling rubble near its beginning.

— Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of rubble

Noun

The routine consisted of four two-minute sessions separated by two minutes of seated rest, monitored using heart-rate straps to ensure consistent effort.

— Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
But the practice of long rest cures had waned in Switzerland in the nineteen-nineties, in part because health insurers stopped fully covering extended stays at spas and wellness centers.

— D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of rest

Noun

Rescue workers searched the wreckage through the day for survivors and bodies.

— JOSEPH WILSON, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026
Second fatal train crash this year The wreckage of Wednesday’s crash reminded many of the aftermath of another train collision in January, when 46 people died in southern Spain when an IRYO train jumped the track and hit an oncoming RENFE train.

— Joseph Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of wreckage

Noun

That remnant has now yielded direct physical evidence that ice sheets might have reversed their retreat and started to grow again thousands of years ago.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Oct. 2026
The coastal flooding in the next few days is expected to be different from earlier rounds, which were heavily influenced by powerful swells from the remnants of hurricanes Marie and Rachel.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of remnant

Noun

The board heard two days of testimony from Weisheit, lawyers, the children’s parents and first responders who were at an Evansville home in 2010 when the bodies of 8-year-old Alyssa Lynch and 5-year-old Caleb Lynch were recovered in the fire ruins.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026
The board heard two days of testimony from Weisheit, lawyers, the children's parents and first responders who were at an Evansville home in 2010 when the bodies of 8-year-old Alyssa Lynch and 5-year-old Caleb Lynch were recovered in the fire ruins.

— CBS News, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of ruins

Browse Nearby Words

residuals

residue

residues

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Style

“Residue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/residue. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of residue

noun

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