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
Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
Don't speed or tailgate, Fines double for speeding in a Michigan work zone, so slow down.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025
An initial statement from the sheriff's office suggested the two vehicles were tailgating and break-checking each other.
—Jillian Frankel, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for tailgate
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Noun
New Heights tailgate A New Heights Tailgate is planned for Sunday at the Power & Light District.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
Don't speed or tailgate, Fines double for speeding in a Michigan work zone, so slow down.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
Take advantage of the deal, grab your roomies, and head to Costco to stock up on tailgating snacks, frozen entrees, salad kits, customer favorites, and sharing-sized chips, cookies, and cereal.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025
An initial statement from the sheriff's office suggested the two vehicles were tailgating and break-checking each other.
—Jillian Frankel, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Of course feel free to cheer whenever your team has done something worth celebrating, but don’t boo the other team or obnoxiously heckle the opposing fans under the tailgate tent whenever their team falls short.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for tailgate
Cite this Entry
“Tailgate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailgate. Accessed 12 Sep. 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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