rear-end

1 of 2

verb

ˈrir-ˈend 

-ˌend

rear-ended; rear-ending; rear-ends

transitive verb

: to crash into the back of (a vehicle)

rear end

2 of 2

noun

1

: the back part or section of something (such as a motor vehicle)

The preliminary investigation revealed that while traffic was stopped, the driver of a Ford F-150 pickup truck hit the rear end of a Buick passenger car …

—Gabe Hauari

2

: buttocks

He's sneaky strong, having increased his bench press to 325 pounds, but his legs remain matchsticks and he has virtually no rear end.

—Curry Kirkpatrick

Synonyms of rear-end

Noun

• seat
• cheeks
• tail
• bum
• tail end
• bottom
• rump
• behind

Examples of rear-end in a Sentence

Noun

She stood up and brushed off her rear end.

The car's rear end was badly damaged in the accident.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

After being rear-ended by another vehicle, a car left the roadway, struck a gas pump and became wedged between another vehicle and the pump, the release said. — Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 8 July 2026

The driver of the vehicle that was rear-ended was not injured. — Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 29 June 2026

Noun

This slowed the Briton due to his car suddenly oversteering more, where the rear end of the car feels less stable to a driver. — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 27 June 2026

The tapered rear end is charming, especially the vertical fins and rear lighting elements that create a shape unlike anything else on the road. — Tim Stevens, Robb Report, 19 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1957, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1785, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rear-end

• amend
• append
• ascend
• attend
• backend
• befriend
• boyfriend
• commend
• compend
• contend
• defend
• depend