tailback

noun

tail·​back ˈtāl-ˌbak 

1

: the offensive football back farthest from the line of scrimmage

2

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

Synonyms of tailback

• jam
• congestion
• bottleneck
• snarl

Examples of tailback in a Sentence

stuck in a five-mile tailback on the southbound carriageway

Recent Examples on the Web

The Dolphins reportedly worked out four tailbacks - former Hurricanes standout Damien Martinez, Hassan Haskins, Kenny McIntosh and Elijah Tau-Toliver on Tuesday. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026

The Terrapins did play without their two top tailbacks and finished with just 39 rushing yards. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026

Georgia denied the Sooners’ 2-point-conversion attempt, as Wilson and Elijah Griffin stuffed tailback Lloyd Avant for no gain, leaving the score 28-6. — Mike Griffith, AJC.com, 27 Sep. 2026

Third-string tailback London Montgomery’s 74-yard kickoff return in the third quarter set up a touchdown, while a 41-yarder earlier ignited the scoring drive ending with Clark’s long run. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tailback

• aback
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback
• cutback