track

1 of 2

noun

1
: a footprint whether recent or fossil
the huge track of a dinosaur
2
a
: detectable evidence (such as the wake of a ship, a line of footprints, or a wheel rut) that something has passed
b
: a path made by or as if by repeated footfalls : trail
c
: a course laid out especially for racing
d
: the parallel rails of a railroad
e(1)
: material recorded especially on or as if on a track
instrumental tracks
a bonus commentary track on a DVD
(2)
: one of a series of parallel or concentric paths along which material (such as music or information) is recorded (as on a phonograph record or magnetic tape)
(3)
: a group of grooves on a phonograph record containing recorded sound
f
: a usually metal way (such as a groove) serving as a guide (as for a movable lighting fixture)
3
a
: a sequence of events : a train of ideas : succession
b
: an awareness of a fact, progression, or condition
keep track of the costs
lose track of the time
4
: track-and-field sports
especially : those performed on a running track
5
a
: the course along which something moves or progresses
b
: a way of life, conduct, or action
c
: one of several curricula of study to which students are assigned according to their needs or levels of ability
d
: the projection on the earth's surface of the path along which something (such as a missile or an airplane) has flown
6
a
: the width of a wheeled vehicle from wheel to wheel and usually from the outside of the rims
b
: the tread of an automobile tire
c
: either of two endless belts on which a tracklaying vehicle travels
trackless adjective

track

2 of 2

verb

tracked; tracking; tracks

transitive verb

1
a
: to follow the tracks or traces of : trail
b
: to search for by following evidence until found
track down the source
2
a
: to follow by vestiges : trace
b
: to observe or plot the moving path of (something, such as a spacecraft or missile) often instrumentally
3
a
: to carry (mud or other material) on the feet and deposit
tracking mud into the kitchen
b
: to make tracks upon
4
: to keep track of (something, such as a trend) : follow
5
: to travel over : traverse
track a desert

intransitive verb

1
: travel
a comet tracking eastward
2
a of a pair of wheels
(1)
: to maintain a constant distance apart on the straightaway
(2)
: to fit a track or rails
b
of a rear wheel of a vehicle : to follow accurately the corresponding fore wheel on a straightaway
c
of a phonograph needle : to follow the groove undulations of a recording
3
: to leave tracks (as on a floor)
tracker noun
Phrases
in one's tracks
: where one stands or is at the moment : on the spot
was stopped in his tracks
on track
: achieving or doing what is necessary or expected
Choose the Right Synonym for track

trace, vestige, track mean a perceptible sign made by something that has passed.

trace may suggest any line, mark, or discernible effect.

the killer left no traces

vestige applies to a tangible reminder such as a fragment or remnant of what is past and gone.

boulders that are vestiges of the last ice age

track implies a continuous line that can be followed.

the fossilized tracks of dinosaurs

Examples of track in a Sentence

Noun Follow the track into the forest. We were warned about walking beside the railroad tracks. Verb He tracked the deer for a mile. The detectives tracked the killer to Arizona. The ship can track incoming missiles with radar. Meteorologists are tracking the storm. The study tracked the patients over the course of five years. The squadron will track north by northeast for 40 miles.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The tracks share a similar sparseness and uniformity in instrumentation–piano, violin, guitar, and occasional percussion–but rather than meld together, each song stands strong, poignant and singular. Leah Lu, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2024 Here are some reactions to what some are calling the biggest day in the history of high school track. Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2024 The superstar boy band took to their social media accounts on Monday (March 25) to share the track titles on Polaroid-like images. Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 25 Mar. 2024 That June, the council adopted new regulations, the same ones Wilfong tracks in Glendale. The Arizona Republic, 25 Mar. 2024 The area not far from Florin Road and Florin Perkins Road is dotted by large industrial warehouses, bordering railroad tracks. Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 25 Mar. 2024 The track peaked at No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Shania Russell, EW.com, 24 Mar. 2024 Her mother Candi had a track and field scholarship at Florida State. Susan Miller Degnan, Miami Herald, 23 Mar. 2024 Editor’s Note: This is a version of CNN’s Royal News, a weekly dispatch bringing you the inside track on Britain’s royal family. Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN, 22 Mar. 2024
Verb
Seli said there is still a lot of work to do to reduce the rate of maternal deaths in the United States and to better track the number of maternal deaths that occur. Deidre McPhillips, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 Although Sweeney is more persuasive in the latter half of the film, when the trauma of pregnancy turns Cecilia into an avenging nun, the early sweetness and naïveté of her character is too cloying to track with her sudden personality shift. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2024 The app will track all of the emissions customers save by opting for more fuel-efficient vehicles. Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 The cost to fill your gas tank today is down, on average, according to AAA, which tracks gasoline prices around Ohio and across the country. Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 12 Mar. 2024 As part of an 18-month pilot that concluded in December, the UK interior ministry, known as the Home Office, forced up to 600 people who arrived in the country without permission to wear ankle tags that continuously tracked their locations. Morgan Meaker, WIRED, 1 Mar. 2024 Cameras are used to capture images of license plates pinged for a felony, which police use to track down the driver. The Enquirer, 1 Mar. 2024 Heading into the weekend, tracking suggested Dune 2 would launch domestically to $75 million. Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024 The killings were the eighth and ninth homicides in Kansas City this year, according to data tracked by The Star. Andrea Klick, Kansas City Star, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'track.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English trak, from Middle French trac

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Verb

1565, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of track was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near track

Cite this Entry

“Track.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/track. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

track

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: a mark left by something that has gone by
c
: a path along which something is recorded (as on magnetic tape)
2
a
: a course laid out for racing
b
: the parallel rails of a railroad
3
: the course along which something moves or progresses
4
: awareness of things or the order in which things happen or ideas come
lose track of the time
keep track of expenses
5
: either of two continuous metal belts on which a vehicle (as a tank or bulldozer) travels
6
: track-and-field sports
especially : those performed on a running track
trackless adjective

track

2 of 2 verb
1
a
: to follow the tracks or traces of : trail
track a deer
b
: to search for until found
tracking down the causes of cancer
2
: to observe the moving path of
track a missile with radar
3
: to make tracks upon or with
track up the floor
track mud all over the floor
tracker noun

More from Merriam-Webster on track

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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