Definition of tailbacknext
British
as in jam
a crowded mass (as of cars) that impedes or blocks movement stuck in a five-mile tailback on the southbound carriageway

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of tailback The 27-year-old tailback was the Broncos’ offensive MVP over the first 10 weeks of a wild, wacky 2025. Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 9 June 2026 Ewers completed a 30 yard pass to rookie tailback Donovan Edwards that had the possibility of producing a score with better blocking. Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 9 June 2026 The Pro Bowl tailback faces five charges, including a felony count of strangulation and suffocation, along with misdemeanor counts of battery, criminal damage to property, disorderly conduct and intimidation of a victim. Alejandro Avila, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026 At the time, USC had 18 Black players on its roster, including at the crucial quarterback and tailback positions—no small thing, in an era when the prevailing stereotype dictated that Black players weren’t smart enough or good-enough leaders to play quarterback. Jemele Hill, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for tailback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tailback
Noun
  • The nearly 3,000-foot-long train was patiently idling beside the platform at East Perth Terminal, where a spread of scones, strawberry jam, clotted cream, and Bollinger champagne welcomed eager travelers.
    Justin Meneguzzi, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
  • Cottage Kitchen offers preserves and spreads made from wild- and farm-sourced ingredients, like Chandler strawberry jam and hot-pepper jelly.
    John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 7 July 2026
Noun
  • More transit riders means less highway congestion and less pollution and emissions.
    Pete Harrison, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2026
  • What should be discussed is limiting the number of cars that come into Chicago, such as through a fee similar to what London has instituted, a congestion charge.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Noun
  • This dramatically lowers the cost of deployment and increases operational flexibility, and shift the bottleneck of physical systems such as robotics from hardware engineering to compute scaling.
    Anjana Susarla, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026
  • This modular design is intended to shorten construction timelines and allow installation directly at the site of demand, bypassing local electrical transmission bottlenecks.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026
Noun
  • Someone like Mason Marchment — who can score and play with snarl — could be a multi-year option, but giving out long-term deals to free agents in their 30s is risky, especially considering the current state of the Rangers.
    Peter Baugh, New York Times, 29 June 2026
  • Downtown traffic is a snarl and parking isn’t easy even on routine days.
    Howard Cohen June 24, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Tailback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tailback. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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