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
Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025
But the high-swinging tailgate never looked particularly user-friendly for closing from the inside, leaving the original Shelter Travel perhaps better optimized for sleeping with the tent fabric sealing off the hatch.
—New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2025
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025
An initial statement from the sheriff's office suggested the two vehicles were tailgating and break-checking each other.
—Jillian Frankel, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
Instead of the tailgate galley common on this style of all-terrain squaredrop, Imperial goes with a slide-out kitchen at the rear.
—New Atlas, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tailgate
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Noun
King's Hawaiian and Eli Manning are joining forces for something that is going to turn up your tailgate before the game even starts.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025
But the high-swinging tailgate never looked particularly user-friendly for closing from the inside, leaving the original Shelter Travel perhaps better optimized for sleeping with the tent fabric sealing off the hatch.
—New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
Take advantage of the deal, grab your roomies, and head to Costco to stock up on tailgating snacks, frozen entrees, salad kits, customer favorites, and sharing-sized chips, cookies, and cereal.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025
An initial statement from the sheriff's office suggested the two vehicles were tailgating and break-checking each other.
—Jillian Frankel, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
This classic treat is always a favorite at brunches, picnics, potlucks, and tailgate events.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
Instead of the tailgate galley common on this style of all-terrain squaredrop, Imperial goes with a slide-out kitchen at the rear.
—New Atlas, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tailgate
Cite this Entry
“Tailgate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailgate. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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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