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tailback

noun

tail·​back ˈtāl-ˌbak How to pronounce tailback (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
However, a 50-yard run from Tigers tailback Dylan Leone set the team up in the red zone when the quarter expired. Jack Murray, Boston Herald, 26 Nov. 2025 Only four skill players in the NFL have been more productive than Miami’s third-year tailback this season. Omar Kelly november 25, Miami Herald, 25 Nov. 2025 The Giants’ battering-ram rookie tailback was asked by DraftKings last week for a Super Bowl pick, and his face turned orange and blue. Troy Renck, Denver Post, 24 Nov. 2025 But mostly, the Bills have allowed star tailbacks to run amok. Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tailback

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tailback was in 1930

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tailback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailback. Accessed 30 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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