1
: a board or gate at the rear of a vehicle that can be removed or let down (as for loading)
2
[from the custom of seating trombonists at the rear of trucks carrying jazz bands in parades]
: a jazz trombone style marked by much use of slides to and from long sustained tones
3
US
: tailgate party
Nowadays, tailgates have evolved into mobile feasts: face-to-face social networks where complete strangers bond over food and drink, and everyone is eager to share.—
Greg Ferro
Greg Ferro
tailgated; tailgating
1
: to drive dangerously close behind another vehicle
2
US
: to have a tailgate party
: to drive dangerously close behind
tailgater
noun
US
: relating to or being a tailgate party
Examples of tailgate in a Sentence
Verb
He hit the car in front of him because he was tailgating.
They started tailgating at 10 o'clock.
Recent Examples on the Web
Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
According to the same release, two bloody handprints were found on the truck's tailgate.
—Christina Coulter, People.com, 10 June 2025
Alecia Taylor, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2025
For the dads out there who love to tailgate, the coolers are the perfect choice.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
New Atlas, 23 June 2025
Father’s Day Sunday: Royals vs. Athletics, 1:10 p.m. Fans who purchase a theme ticket will receive a tailgate meal in the Hall of Fame Tent prior to the game.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tailgate
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Noun
The Chelan County Sheriff's Office said in a press release on Tuesday that traces of blood found on the tailgate of Decker's truck belong to the missing father, ruling out additional suspects.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
According to the same release, two bloody handprints were found on the truck's tailgate.
—Christina Coulter, People.com, 10 June 2025
Verb
Other residents who spoke with The Star questioned where fans would park or tailgate at a new stadium up north.
Smith, North Kansas City’s new mayor, said this scale of development is something the city has talked about since the 1980s.
—Alecia Taylor, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2025
For the dads out there who love to tailgate, the coolers are the perfect choice.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
Adjective
Instead of the tailgate galley common on this style of all-terrain squaredrop, Imperial goes with a slide-out kitchen at the rear.
—New Atlas, 23 June 2025
Father’s Day Sunday: Royals vs. Athletics, 1:10 p.m. Fans who purchase a theme ticket will receive a tailgate meal in the Hall of Fame Tent prior to the game.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tailgate
Cite this Entry
“Tailgate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailgate. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tailgate
1 of 2 noun
tail·gate
ˈtā(ə)l-ˌgāt 
: a panel at the back end of a vehicle (as a station wagon) that can be let down for loading and unloading
tailgate
2 of 2 verb
tailgated; tailgating
: to drive dangerously close behind another vehicle
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