tailpipe

noun

tail·​pipe ˈtāl-ˌpīp How to pronounce tailpipe (audio)
: an outlet by which engine exhaust gases are expelled from a vehicle (such as an automobile or jet aircraft)

Examples of tailpipe in a Sentence

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.
The government ignored Hamilton’s warning, and for 50 years lead spewed from every car’s tailpipe, contaminating the air, soil, and bodies of generations. Tom Frieden, Big Think, 30 Sep. 2025 To slash tailpipe emissions, FedEx is piloting electric vehicles on six continents. Elisabeth Brier, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 The outlets report that footage of the stunt show posted on social media shows speeding cars spinning on the road with smoke coming from their tailpipes. Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025 No tailpipes are visible in either case. Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tailpipe

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tailpipe was in 1922

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tailpipe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailpipe. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

tail pipe

noun
: an outlet by which engine exhaust gases are expelled from a vehicle (as an automobile or jet aircraft)

More from Merriam-Webster on tailpipe

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