taillight

noun tail·light \ ˈtāl-ˌlīt \

|Updated on: 12 Jun 2018

Definition of taillight

: a usually red warning light mounted at the rear of a vehicle — called also taillamp

See taillight defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of taillight from the Web

What started as a routine traffic stop for a broken taillight in Springfield, Massachusetts, has escalated into a succession of grisly discoveries that have shaken the blue-collar city.

— NBC News, "3 bodies found at home of Massachusetts man accused of kidnapping, torture," 1 June 2018
Weldon allegedly crashed into a police cruiser Sunday following a brief pursuit by officers, who attempted to pull him over for a broken taillight, according to charging documents obtained by PEOPLE.

— chris harris, PEOPLE.com, "After Cops Pull Over Driver for Broken Taillight, Woman Says He Raped Her — and Police Find 3 Dead Bodies at His Home," 1 June 2018
There’s a chase scene, Han does some fancy driving, and Howard swings around to show us those after-burners again, looking like the taillights of a vehicle from another era, another corner of the universe.

— gary thompson, Philly.com, "'Solo: A Star Wars Story' takes a while to jump to hyperspace," 23 May 2018
Gray body cladding extends from the wheel arches to include the headlight and taillight housings.

— emma jayne williams, star-telegram, "Hyundai’s 2018 Kona small crossover starts at $19,500, offers all-wheel drive | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 19 May 2018
Description: Police are seeking drug charges against two Cedarburg men, 18 and 19, after their car was stopped for a defective taillight in the 100 block of Washington Avenue at 11:06 p.m. Sept. 29.

— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Weekly Police Map," 15 May 2018
The sedan has a kind of muscular grace, which is most effective at the rear, where its high belt line, brawny haunches and swooping, vertical taillights mesh nicely.

— daniel miller, latimes.com, "The Genesis G90 is a luxurious opening act for the new brand — and definitely not a Hyundai," 11 May 2018
The standard equipment on the base S model, which starts at $18,545 ($19,345 with the automatic gearbox), alloy wheels, LED headlights and taillights, stop/start technology on the automatic models, a rearview camera, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.

— al haas, Philly.com, "Volkswagen unveils a sportier 2019 Jetta with the U.S. in mind | Al Haas," 17 Apr. 2018
The looks of the grille and narrow LED headlights and taillights are consistent with other Honda sedans.

— mark phelan, Detroit Free Press, "First look: 2019 Honda Insight aims to become America's favorite hybrid," 11 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'taillight.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.