Illustration of dovetail
- 1 mortises
- 2 tenons
- 3 joint
: something resembling a dove's tail
especially
: a flaring tenon and a mortise into which it fits tightly making an interlocking joint between two pieces (as of wood)
dovetailed; dovetailing; dovetails
1
a
: to join by means of dovetails
b
: to cut to a dovetail
2
a
: to fit skillfully to form a whole
b
: to fit together with
: to fit together into a whole
Examples of dovetail in a Sentence
Verb
the Union and the Confederate accounts of the battle don't dovetail at all
Recent Examples on the Web
Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2026
The Times’ Malia Mendez sat down with members of the all-Filipino cast to discuss the ways the show’s exploration of the perils of authoritarianism dovetail with the modern political moment.
—Arts Editor, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 17 Mar. 2026
The addition of two new expansion teams could dovetail with a new CBA, or a new CBA could be written with those teams in mind.
—Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dovetail
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Noun
There's just something about old furniture that showcases wood with dovetail joinery and a perfect patina, evoking a cozy sense of nostalgia.
—Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2026
The Times’ Malia Mendez sat down with members of the all-Filipino cast to discuss the ways the show’s exploration of the perils of authoritarianism dovetail with the modern political moment.
—Arts Editor, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
Wayne’s Tha Carter dates last year dovetailed with the release that June of Tha Carter VI.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 17 Mar. 2026
The addition of two new expansion teams could dovetail with a new CBA, or a new CBA could be written with those teams in mind.
—Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dovetail
Cite this Entry
“Dovetail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dovetail. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dovetail
1 of 2 noun
dove·tail
-ˌtāl 
: something shaped like a dove's tail
especially
: a joint between two pieces (as of wood) formed by a wedge-shaped part that fits tightly into a wedge-shaped slot in the other piece
dovetail
2 of 2 verb1
a
: to join by means of dovetails
b
: to cut to a dovetail
2
: to fit skillfully together to form a whole
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