trace
noun
a surviving mark, sign, or evidence of the former existence, influence, or action of some agent or event; vestige.
were tracing
-
past progressiveof trace.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Taichung authorities were tracing the whereabouts of 28 pigs from the farm that were sold in markets, Lin Nien-nung, from the ministry's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency, said Thursday.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2025
Investigators were also attempting to contact Ramos’ relatives and were tracing the firearms.
From Seattle Times ● May 24, 2022
In the aye-aye, Hartstone-Rose and his colleagues were tracing a muscle called the abductor pollicis longus, which in humans allows us to stick out thumbs, hitchhiker-style.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 21, 2019
I was in France recently, accompanying a party of American military history enthusiasts who were tracing sites of 1918's key battles in the run-up to this year's Armistice centenary.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2018
Amala’s eyes focused on the floor as if she were tracing patterns on it.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
