tailback

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

Examples of tailback in a Sentence

stuck in a five-mile tailback on the southbound carriageway

Recent Examples on the Web

Dexter Lawrence is a 340-pounder who might have been the second-most agile player on his high school team behind current Stanford tailback Bryce Love. — Andy Staples, SI.com, "Like It or Not, College Football Is Influencing the NFL," 12 July 2018 The Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl last season with three different tailbacks getting at least 70 carries. — Jamie Samuelsen, Detroit Free Press, "How will Detroit Lions satisfy stable of running backs?," 23 May 2018 The Baylor transfer gives Houston a physical tailback who could step in immediately as a replacement for Duke Catalon in the backfield. — Matt Murschel, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Houston lands an influx of talent, No. 68 in 2018 preseason college football rankings," 20 June 2018 Tony Brooks-James, who split duties as a tailback and kick returner for the team last season, will most likely step into Freeman’s shoes when the season kicks off on Sept. 1. — Matt Murschel, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Oregon counts on Mario Cristobal to build on success, Ducks are No. 75 in 2018 preseason college football rankings," 13 June 2018 While help along the interior line might be needed to boost a rushing attack that ranked just 26th in the NFL last year, New York undoubtedly needs new blood at tailback as well. — Michael Middlehurst-schwartz, USA TODAY, "Three and out: New York Giants' 2018 NFL draft needs, prospects fits," 20 Apr. 2018 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

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.

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Last Updated

4 Oct 2018

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Time Traveler for tailback

The first known use of tailback was in 1930

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More Definitions for tailback

tailback

noun

English Language Learners Definition of tailback

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

See the full definition for tailback in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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