tailback

noun

tail·​back ˈtāl-ˌbak How to pronounce tailback (audio)
1
: the offensive football back farthest from the line of scrimmage
2
British : a line of vehicles caused by a traffic slowdown or stoppage

Examples of tailback in a Sentence

stuck in a five-mile tailback on the southbound carriageway
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.
If the playoff fates ship you to Pittsburgh or Buffalo in the middle of January, the only sure way to avoid getting buried in the snow is a hot hand at tailback. Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 18 Dec. 2024 Sophomore tailback Treyaun Webb’s cousin, Dee Webb, played at UF from 2003-05. Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Dec. 2024 Arizona State’s powerhouse tailback has toiled superbly all season while remaining in relative obscurity. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 5 Dec. 2024 That is especially true with so many of the 49ers’ true tailbacks missing from the lineup. Matt Barrows, The Athletic, 11 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tailback 

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tailback was in 1930

Dictionary Entries Near tailback

Cite this Entry

“Tailback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailback. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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