1
: the offensive football back farthest from the line of scrimmage
2
British
: a line of vehicles caused by a traffic slowdown or stoppage
Examples of tailback in a Sentence
stuck in a five-mile tailback on the southbound carriageway
Recent Examples on the Web
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
Gordon was the tailback who missed the block.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 2 June 2026
The team’s tailbacks were led by Jordan James and rookie Kaelon Black.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 29 May 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
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Alejandro Avila, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
Gordon was the tailback who missed the block.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 2 June 2026
The team’s tailbacks were led by Jordan James and rookie Kaelon Black.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 29 May 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
Cite this Entry
“Tailback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailback. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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