1
as in paths
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 tracks
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 chases
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 trails
Steven Sloan,
Los Angeles Times,
5 July 2026
Its grippy outsole offers reliable traction on trails and uneven terrain, while the soft eggnog color looks polished enough to wear around town afterward.
—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
4 July 2026
In Utah, federal land managers have closed public lands near the Cottonwood Fire as a precaution, and in New Mexico, forest officials closed campgrounds and trails near a wildfire burning in the Jemez Mountains.
—
CBS News,
27 June 2026
Authorities from multiple agencies have been searching for her both in the lake and on surrounding trails.
—
James Cirrone,
FOXNews.com,
27 June 2026
Leafy walking trails lead to the three restaurants, two infinity pools, and clusters of bi-level pavilions.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 June 2026
There are trails on the property, a stream cutting through the woods, and no neighboring houses in sight.
—
Bailey Berg,
Architectural Digest,
26 June 2026
ABC News,
4 July 2026
Signs of snakes include small rounded holes, shed skins, droppings, and trails winding in the soil.
—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
3 July 2026
That trails State Street’s popular retail ETF known as the XRT, which is up 38% in that timeframe.
—
Alexa Lomonaco,
CNBC,
2 July 2026
Even among leading manufacturers, productivity still trails human workers.
—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
30 June 2026
While pizza trails many of the other foods, it was selected by more people in the Northeast than in other regions of the country.
—
Fred Backus,
CBS News,
28 June 2026
The payroll of $370 million, per FanGraphs, trails only the Los Angeles Dodgers ($397 million), yet the roster isn’t working.
—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
Haiti trails at the bottom with 0.
—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
25 June 2026
France’s Mistral, often touted as Europe’s AI champion, still trails its American rivals on frontier models.
—
Sam Birchall,
Fortune,
23 June 2026
Noun
Patrouille de France, the French Air Force’s acrobatic teams, flew over New York Harbor with their red, white and blue trails, evoking images of the American flag.
—
Steven Sloan,
Los Angeles Times,
5 July 2026
Its grippy outsole offers reliable traction on trails and uneven terrain, while the soft eggnog color looks polished enough to wear around town afterward.
—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
4 July 2026
In Utah, federal land managers have closed public lands near the Cottonwood Fire as a precaution, and in New Mexico, forest officials closed campgrounds and trails near a wildfire burning in the Jemez Mountains.
—
CBS News,
27 June 2026
Authorities from multiple agencies have been searching for her both in the lake and on surrounding trails.
—
James Cirrone,
FOXNews.com,
27 June 2026
Leafy walking trails lead to the three restaurants, two infinity pools, and clusters of bi-level pavilions.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 June 2026
There are trails on the property, a stream cutting through the woods, and no neighboring houses in sight.
—
Bailey Berg,
Architectural Digest,
26 June 2026
Verb
Sanchez trails only Orlando’s Barbara Banda, who leads the league with 11.
—
ABC News,
4 July 2026
Signs of snakes include small rounded holes, shed skins, droppings, and trails winding in the soil.
—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
3 July 2026
That trails State Street’s popular retail ETF known as the XRT, which is up 38% in that timeframe.
—
Alexa Lomonaco,
CNBC,
2 July 2026
Even among leading manufacturers, productivity still trails human workers.
—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
30 June 2026
While pizza trails many of the other foods, it was selected by more people in the Northeast than in other regions of the country.
—
Fred Backus,
CBS News,
28 June 2026
The payroll of $370 million, per FanGraphs, trails only the Los Angeles Dodgers ($397 million), yet the roster isn’t working.
—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
Haiti trails at the bottom with 0.
—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
25 June 2026
France’s Mistral, often touted as Europe’s AI champion, still trails its American rivals on frontier models.
—
Sam Birchall,
Fortune,
23 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trails
Noun
-
Some of those places have her crossing paths with new characters played by Wanda Sykes and Ice-T, among others.
-
For finance professionals, the findings suggest that employers who invest in meaningful on-the-job development and clear growth paths can gain a competitive edge in attracting and keeping talent in an increasingly demanding and data-driven function.
Noun
-
On top of that, Towriss pointed out that Herta needed to learn the tracks and tires, given IndyCar uses bespoke Firestones while the F1 and its support championships use Pirellis.
-
Crossing into Northern California, the train then descends from the mountains into forests, with rivers running alongside the tracks.
Verb
-
Combined, the handful of upside surprises is making for a stronger-than-expected domestic box office and a promising foundation for the second half of the year as the industry chases pre-pandemic levels.
-
Kylian Mbappé of France chases the ball during their match against Iraq.
Noun
-
According to the National Park Service, the footpaths through the forested ridgetops of Pennsylvania are among the most popular.
-
Eschewing fences and pavement in favor of natural footpaths lined with brambles and shrubs, these slender pathways provide epic sea views while leaving the ancestral homes of other animals intact.
Noun
-
To optimize that, memory must be soldered extremely close to the CPU to reduce the length of the motherboard's traces (circuit lines).
-
When its inevitable end arrives, the sun’s core will exhaust the last traces of hydrogen fuel and kick off the first stellar death pangs.
Verb
-
When college senior Sloane pursues a nebulous affair with her mysterious neighbor Ethan, the road to heartbreak ends up functioning as a path to self-discovery.
-
Germany's Volocopter pursues a similar short-hop urban focus with its VoloCity, though its commercial rollout has moved slower than anticipated.
Noun
-
Senate Bills 1144 and 1140 required highway districts to prioritize vehicle traffic and barred them from narrowing streets to make room for bike lanes and pedestrian pathways, according to previous Idaho Statesman reporting.
-
Regional leaders should use those results and current labor-market data to improve or discontinue pathways that no longer lead to viable work.
Noun
-
Larger retail footprints mean more logistics, more displays, and tighter timelines.
-
The father noticed footprints in the snow that ended at a stone wall.
Cite this Entry
“Trails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trails. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
