tailback

play

noun tail·back \ ˈtāl-ˌbak \

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

Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham is a major upgrade at quarterback and tailback Kamryn Pettway — one of seven returning starters on offense — averaged 138.7 yards against SEC foes last season.

— edgar thompson, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Alabama continues to dominate SEC, aims to extend streak," 24 Aug. 2017
Cornerback Nick Nelson is on track to handle punt returns and tailback Chris James and wide receiver A.J. Taylor have gotten the bulk of the work on kickoff returns.

— jeff potrykus, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Badgers' special teams have the playmakers to be special in '17," 16 Aug. 2017
NewCath, meanwhile, has the bulk of its offense returning including emerging beast, junior tailback Kyle Kelly and three returning starters on the line.

— marc hardin, Cincinnati.com, "Preview: NKY Class 2A, District 6 produces state-level talent," 11 Aug. 2017
But the blocking up front wasn’t consistent and the tailbacks couldn’t find much light.

— jeff mclane, Philly.com, "What we learned in Eagles-Packers | Jeff McLane," 11 Aug. 2017
Rosen has completed passes to seemingly every receiver and tight end on the roster, and five tailbacks have gotten carries as part of the first-team offense.

— ben bolch, latimes.com, "Bruins show early signs of opening up the offense," 4 Aug. 2017
But before that, Majors had one of the best careers in SEC history as the last of the conference's great single-wing tailbacks.

— mark inabinett, AL.com, "The Countdown to Kickoff: The SEC's best No. 45," 19 July 2017
Richt will arrive at the Westin in Charlotte on Friday, when the coach and linebacker Shaquille Quarterman and tailback Mark Walton will represent the Hurricanes at the Atlantic Coast Conference Football Kickoff.

— susan miller degnan, miamiherald, "Canes defensive tackle Gerald Willis taking “leave of absence”," 13 July 2017
Lindsay is one of five tailbacks in the Pac-12 to rush for at least 1,000 yards after rumbling for 1,189 yards and 16 touchdowns last season.

— matt murschel, OrlandoSentinel.com, "College football rankings: Colorado Buffaloes," 7 July 2017

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

tailback Synonyms

Synonyms

backup, bottleneck, jam-up, logjam, snarl, jam [British], tie-up

Related Words

tangle; gridlock, lock; congestion, traffic; crawl, delay, slowdown, stoppage

TAILBACK Defined for English Language Learners

tailback

play

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

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tailback

Definition of tailback

Examples of tailback in a Sentence

Recent Examples of tailback from the Web

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tailback Synonyms

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TAILBACK Defined for English Language Learners

tailback

Definition of tailback for English Language Learners

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TAILBACK Defined for English Language Learners

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