artifact

Definition of artifactnext
1
as in fossil
an object made by humans and surviving from an earlier time period The site was full of Stone Age artifacts such as flint tools.

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2

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 artifact Hundreds of clay jars known as amphorae were discovered inside the wrecked ship, alongside lead anchor stocks and other artifacts, police said. Isabella Colletta, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026 Where others see junk, people like Dersch see artifacts of computer history that are worthy of attention and respect. Terry Chea, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026 In 2020, the Lucas Museum also acquired the Separate Cinema Archive, a collection of over 37,000 artifacts relating to African American cinema. News Desk, Artforum, 10 Aug. 2026 The program’s collection includes artifacts, archival records and oral histories documenting the community’s role in shaping the region. Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for artifact
Recent Examples of Synonyms for artifact
Noun
  • The source of historical botany was measured through the archives of plant fossils until the 1500s, upon the discovery of papermaking.
    Candace Barone, Florida Times-Union, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The 1973 oil shock catalyzed investments in nuclear power, renewable energy, and efficiency that reduced the fossil-fuel intensity of the global economy even more rapidly than climate policy did in the years following the 2015 Paris Agreement.
    Jason Bordoff, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • While the top shelves house Hilderbrand’s own novels (and multiple copies of Hilderbrand’s favorite of her books, 28 Summers), the shelves also hold many of her other favorite books and mementos.
    Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Available in pastel pink, neutral beige and classic black colorways, the Speedcat Etoile debuts with a new campaign featuring the Blackpink member in a scene surrounded by youthful nostalgia and personal mementos that shaped her childhood.
    Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 28 July 2026
Noun
  • Things like trumpets cracking, lights failing, and the BBC presenter’s original record of the broadcast breaking – all remind us of the fragility of relics, said Finn.
    Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Hollywood Beach Resort, the century-old grande dame with a storied history, is now a vacant relic that appears to be heading toward a more cosmopolitan fate.
    Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Friday provided a brief but clear reminder of what kind of headache that could be for opposing defensive coordinators.
    Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • For the Aspen Historical Society, the bridge is also a reminder of why the city exists in the first place.
    Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Taub takes a broader view, seeing echoes of the conflicts that ignited the Revolution in the tensions of today.
    ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Her dilemma was filled with echoes from her childhood in the foothills of the Himalayas.
    Sarah Whitmire, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Those truths come together in a series of ands and buts, which layer upon and contradict each other, like the afterimages of Tullock in Stefania Bulbarella’s video design.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
  • That trailing effect isn’t a smear on its own, but their blades also leave afterimages, duplicate smears, along their path through space.
    Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Here’s a look at the history and religious background of a shrine that is both a sacred place of remembrance and a source of controversy.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Some stories say that Collier broke his rifle over the bear’s head while trying to protect the dogs, but his own remembrances sometimes leave that out.
    Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The remnants of the structure can best be seen from the Bridge of Angels, which leads to Castel Sant’ Angelo near Vatican City.
    Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Archaeologists have uncovered tombs, theaters, baths, stadiums, and other remnants of the city, which was inhabited for more than 1,000 years.
    Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Artifact.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/artifact. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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