rear-end

1 of 2

verb

ˈrir-ˈend How to pronounce rear-end (audio)
-ˌend
rear-ended; rear-ending; rear-ends

transitive verb

: to crash into the back of (a vehicle)

rear end

2 of 2

noun

1
: the back part or section of something (such as a motor vehicle)
The preliminary investigation revealed that while traffic was stopped, the driver of a Ford F-150 pickup truck hit the rear end of a Buick passenger car …Gabe Hauari
2
: buttocks
He's sneaky strong, having increased his bench press to 325 pounds, but his legs remain matchsticks and he has virtually no rear end.Curry Kirkpatrick

Examples of rear-end in a Sentence

Noun She stood up and brushed off her rear end. The car's rear end was badly damaged in the accident.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
The Mercedes then begins backing up, rear-ending the victim’s vehicle as two men jump out of the Mercedes and smash the victim’s passenger-side window with a rock, the video shows. Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 14 Feb. 2025 The Utah Transit Authority said that one of its FrontRunner trains hit a white SUV, which is shown in the video stop on the train tracks after being rear-ended by a truck on Feb. 4. Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025
Noun
The California Highway Patrol, which investigated the deadly crash, has said the Ford struck the left rear end of the Dodge, then hit the Rodriguez brothers standing on the driver’s side of the pickup. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 4 Feb. 2025 In the northern skies is the Big Dipper, the bright rear end and tail of the constellation Ursa Major, the Big Bear. Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 2 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for rear-end 

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1957, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1785, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rear-end was in 1785

Dictionary Entries Near rear-end

Cite this Entry

“Rear-end.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rear-end. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!