1
: a board or gate at the rear of a vehicle that can be removed or let down (as for loading)
2
[from the custom of seating trombonists at the rear of trucks carrying jazz bands in parades]
: a jazz trombone style marked by much use of slides to and from long sustained tones
3
US
: tailgate party
Nowadays, tailgates have evolved into mobile feasts: face-to-face social networks where complete strangers bond over food and drink, and everyone is eager to share.—
Greg Ferro
Greg Ferro
tailgated; tailgating
1
: to drive dangerously close behind another vehicle
2
US
: to have a tailgate party
: to drive dangerously close behind
tailgater
noun
US
: relating to or being a tailgate party
Examples of tailgate in a Sentence
Verb
He hit the car in front of him because he was tailgating.
They started tailgating at 10 o'clock.
Recent Examples on the Web
CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024
The walls are topped with an extruded aluminum lip for further mounting versatility, and while the trailer does not incorporate a hard tailgate, Zion does show a heavy-duty retention net for closing off the rear.
—New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2024
Elena Santa Cruz, The Arizona Republic, 31 Oct. 2024
There will be no listening areas or tailgating for guests outside the stadium who do not have tickets.
—Alysa Guffey, The Indianapolis Star, 26 Oct. 2024
Noah Bierman, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
No matter what time the game starts, these tailgate menus will score big.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tailgate 
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Noun
Darrell Sheriff, 41, was underneath the truck working on a hydraulic line when the tailgate opened and asphalt fell on him, Jackson Police Department said in a statement.
—CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024
The walls are topped with an extruded aluminum lip for further mounting versatility, and while the trailer does not incorporate a hard tailgate, Zion does show a heavy-duty retention net for closing off the rear.
—New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
The other vehicle was right behind his truck, Jordan said, as if the driver was trying to tailgate him, according to the police report.
—Elena Santa Cruz, The Arizona Republic, 31 Oct. 2024
There will be no listening areas or tailgating for guests outside the stadium who do not have tickets.
—Alysa Guffey, The Indianapolis Star, 26 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Despite the country’s political polarization, many people in these tailgate groups weren’t even sure who their football friends were supporting.
—Noah Bierman, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
No matter what time the game starts, these tailgate menus will score big.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tailgate
Dictionary Entries Near tailgate
Cite this Entry
“Tailgate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailgate. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tailgate
1 of 2 noun
tail·gate
ˈtā(ə)l-ˌgāt 
: a panel at the back end of a vehicle (as a station wagon) that can be let down for loading and unloading
tailgate
2 of 2 verb
tailgated; tailgating
: to drive dangerously close behind another vehicle
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