vestigial
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.
The event, which ended this Saturday, felt vestigial, held more out of habit than because there was any urgent niche for it to fill.
From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026
Companies have skimped on dividends amid an epic bull run for stock prices, leaving the S&P 500’s yield of just 1.1% looking like finance’s vestigial tailbone—an evolutionary holdover without a clear purpose.
From Barron's • Nov. 21, 2025
A vestigial instinct made him look around for who was in charge.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 11, 2025
By the time her final husband of convenience realizes his role is vestigial, he can’t muster enough ire to make her flinch.
From Salon • Apr. 5, 2024
Early programming before becoming self-aware plagues me like a vestigial tail.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
Vocabulary lists containing vestigial
Ender's Game
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Animals (Zoology) - Middle School
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Evolutionary Biology - High School
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