tailgate

1 of 3

noun

tail·​gate ˈtāl-ˌgāt 

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

tailgate

2 of 3

verb

tailgated; tailgating

intransitive verb

1

: to drive dangerously close behind another vehicle

2

US : to have a tailgate party

transitive verb

: to drive dangerously close behind

tailgater noun

tailgate

3 of 3

adjective

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

Noun

As the weather cools and pool parties and cookouts are traded for football tailgates and pumpkin patches, why not add a concert to the mix? — Deasia Paige, AJC.com, 21 Sep. 2026

The scene outside of the Linc felt like a normal show at the venue, the parking lots spotted with tailgates as vendors sold Philly Factory pretzels and bootlegged merchandise. — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 20 Sep. 2026

Verb

The tents are up, the lawn chairs set, and the grills are ready as Dallas Cowboys super fans tailgate for the home opener. — Dawn White, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026

Buffalo Bills games are Disney World for NFL tailgating debauchery, but there's a method to the madness. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Adjective

The primary difference between the Festival and Shelter Travel is the tailgate access in place of the side door. — New Atlas, 14 Sep. 2026

Fans can watch out for tailgate activations tied to Azucar this football season. — Kristi Dosh, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1949, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Adjective

1962, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tailgate

• tailgate party

Rhymes for tailgate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids 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