tailgate

1 of 3

noun

tail·​gate ˈtāl-ˌgāt How to pronounce tailgate (audio)
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

tailgate

2 of 3

verb

tailgated; tailgating

intransitive verb

1
: to drive dangerously close behind another vehicle
2
US : to have a tailgate party

transitive verb

: to drive dangerously close behind
tailgater noun

tailgate

3 of 3

adjective

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
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.
Noun
Additionally, deputies found two bloody handprints on the tailgate of Decker’s vehicle. Julia Bonavita , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2025 There are some opaque methods for opening car tailgates, but Smart’s must be one of the most obscure. James Morris, Forbes.com, 24 May 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
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 The tailgate event will expand to three days this go-around, an increase from one day last year, with activities from Friday to Sunday (May 16-18). Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for tailgate

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1949, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Adjective

1962, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tailgate was in 1854

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tailgate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailgate. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

tailgate

1 of 2 noun
tail·​gate ˈtā(ə)l-ˌgāt How to pronounce tailgate (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on tailgate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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