tailback

noun tail·back \ ˈtāl-ˌbak \

|Updated on: 9 Aug 2018

Examples: tailback in a Sentence

Definition of tailback

1 : the offensive football back farthest from the line of scrimmage

2 British : a line of vehicles caused by a traffic slowdown or stoppage

See tailback defined for English-language learners

Examples of tailback in a Sentence

stuck in a five-mile tailback on the southbound carriageway

Recent Examples of tailback from the Web

The backfield features a pair of talented tailbacks in Tre Walker and Keoni-Kordell Makekau.

— matt murschel, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Navy is relying on newcomers in key roles, No, 77 in 2018 preseason college football rankings," 11 June 2018
The senior tailback had gone from possible goat to all-time hero for Georgia, sending the Bulldogs to the national championship game with one last burst in a game full of them.

— USA TODAY, "'Dawgs run wild: Georgia beats Oklahoma 54-48 in Rose Bowl," 1 Jan. 2018
Ula Toluta’u, Zach Katoa and Riley Burt will compete with Canada for tailback snaps.

— matt murschel, OrlandoSentinel.com, "BYU aims to rebound from tough year, is No. 59 with 2018 preseason college football rankings," 29 June 2018
Smith, a top lacrosse player, could be lined up at tailback or wide receiver.

— richard obert, azcentral, "Athletes: Top 10 all-around Arizona high school football players," 29 May 2018
The only player who is not officially enrolled is 5-9, 190-pound running back Cam Davis of Miami Carol City High, a four-star tailback who is one of the top at his position in the nation.

— susan miller degnan, miamiherald, "Hail, hail, the #Storm18 gang's almost all here. All but one of 2018 UM class enrolled | Miami Herald," 21 May 2018
There's a little talk thrown in about robots and Dairy Queen blizzards, plus a look at the transfer of tailback Antonio Williams.

— doug lesmerises, cleveland.com, "Why Joe Burrow is the quarterback choice for some Ohio State fans: Podcast," 25 Apr. 2018
Ingram only gets better with age, with the 28-year-old tailback playing his best NFL season in 2017.

— larry holder, NOLA.com, "Grading the 2017 New Orleans Saints by position: Running back," 15 Feb. 2018
Queues caused by checks, which are a minor annoyance between the United States and Canada, or Norway and Sweden, could lead to massive tailbacks and lockdown in the time-sensitive space of Ro-Ro.

— georgina voss, The Atlantic, "Brexit Could Cripple Britain’s Ports," 20 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tailback.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of tailback

1930

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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TAILBACK Defined for English Language Learners

tailback

noun

Definition of tailback for English Language Learners

American football : a player on offense who runs with the ball and blocks
: a situation in which the flow of traffic is blocked and a long line of vehicles forms