They found gunshot residue on the victim's hand.
Source: tatoeba (1923422)
Residue
/ˈɹɛzɪduː/
Synonyms for "residue" (116 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (24)
Strong matches (34)
Noun(14 words)
Adjective(2 words)
lingering impressionphysical trace
Related words (58)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: balance, remainder, remnant, aftereffect, afterglow.
- Sentence evidence is available for residue, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, wiktionary, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "residue".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "residue"
Keep "residue" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "residue" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "residue", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "residue" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
9 entriesMore specific
8 entriesCollocations
6 entrieschemical residuedried residuefood residueheavy metal residueresidue amountresidue class
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
3 entriesTranslations
34 translations across 25 languages.
Azerbaijani
1 entries- qalıq noun (whatever remains)
Bulgarian
1 entries- остатък noun (whatever remains)
Catalan
1 entries- residu noun (whatever remains)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 殘餘 /残余 noun (whatever remains)
Finnish
4 entries- jäämä noun (whatever remains)
- jäännös noun (whatever remains)
- tähde noun (whatever remains)
- ylijäämä noun (whatever remains)
Galician
1 entries- residuo noun (whatever remains)
German
1 entries- Überrest noun (whatever remains)
Greek
1 entries- υπόλοιπο noun (whatever remains)
Hawaiian
1 entries- kūkae noun (whatever remains)
Hindi
2 entries- अवशेष noun (whatever remains)
- शेष noun (whatever remains)
Hungarian
1 entries- maradék noun (whatever remains)
Indonesian
1 entries- residu noun (whatever remains)
Irish
2 entries- dríodar noun (whatever remains)
- fuílleach noun (whatever remains)
Italian
1 entries- residuo noun (whatever remains)
Kapampangan
1 entries- layak noun (whatever remains)
Malay
2 entries- sisa noun (whatever remains)
- tahi noun (whatever remains)
Malayalam
4 entries- അവശിഷ്ടം noun (whatever remains)
- ചണ്ടി noun (whatever remains)
- ബാക്കി noun (whatever remains)
- മിച്ചം noun (whatever remains)
Māori
1 entries- toenga noun (whatever remains)
Ottoman Turkish
1 entries- آرتق noun (whatever remains)
Portuguese
1 entries- resíduo noun (whatever remains)
Russian
1 entries- оста́ток noun (whatever remains)
Sicilian
1 entries- risidenza noun (whatever remains)
Spanish
1 entries- residuo noun (whatever remains)
Tày
1 entries- bạ noun (whatever remains)
Vietnamese
1 entries- bã noun (whatever remains)
Sample sentences
11 total sentences available.
There was gunshot residue on Tom's jacket.
Source: tatoeba (1923424)
The forensic technician found gunshot residue on the victim's hand.
Source: tatoeba (1923431)
Gunshot residue was found on Dan's hands.
Source: tatoeba (3933020)
Showing 4 of 11 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "residue"?
Closest matches include balance, remainder, remnant, aftereffect, afterglow.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "residue"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.