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.
Police said Monday they were tracing computer IP addresses and looking into possible international collaboration as part of their investigation.
From Barron's ● Dec. 2, 2025
Yes, lots of people were tracing their daily steps to become healthier, but that same heat map also tracked runners on military bases, revealing the locations of secret bases.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 28, 2023
Investigators, including agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, were tracing the weapon to see whether it was the gun used in Sunday’s incident.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 30, 2022
But inside the company, employees were tracing more ads, pages and groups back to Russia.
From New York Times ● Nov. 14, 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
