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
Verb
Working with the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Automotive Research Center on a closed-course, each vehicle’s AEB was tested at 12, 25 and 35 miles per hour to see how the automatic braking systems reacted in preventing rear-end collisions. Ed Garsten, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024 Her car's dash cam, which recorded footage of a gray Honda Sedan intentionally speeding up, cutting in front of her, and then backing into the front of her car to cause a rear-end collision on the Belt Parkway. Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2024
Noun
As a result, the user always stays centered between the front and rear end of the belt, regardless of their running speed. Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 10 Oct. 2024 Years later, however, the designer revealed the ensemble wasn't actually peek-a-boo: there was in fact sheer fabric covering the artist's rear end. 19 of 19 The Most Self Aware-ist Not long after he was arrested at a Florida theater for indecent exposure, Pee-Wee Herman, a.k.a. Kate Hogan, Peoplemag, 11 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rear-end 

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

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 5 Nov. 2024.

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!