trailed; trailing; trails
1
a
: to hang down so as to drag along or sweep the ground
b
: to extend over a surface in a loose or straggling manner
a vine that trails over the ground
c
: to grow to such length as to droop over toward the ground
trailing branches of a weeping birch
2
3
: to move, flow, or extend slowly in thin streams
smoke trailing from chimneys
4
5
: to follow a trail : track game
2
a
: to drag (something, such as a limb or the body) heavily or wearily
b
: to carry or bring along as an addition, burden, or encumbrance
c
: to draw along in one's wake
1
a(1)
: a track made by passage especially through a wilderness
(2)
: a marked or established path or route especially through a forest or mountainous region
c
: a course followed or to be followed
hit the campaign trail
2
a
: something that follows or moves along as if being drawn along : train
a trail of admirers
b
: a chain of consequences : aftermath
the … movement left a trail of bitterness and prejudice behind it—
Paul Blanshard
Paul Blanshard
c(1)
: the streak produced by a meteor
(2)
: a continuous line produced photographically by permitting the image of a celestial body (such as a star) to move over the plate
Synonyms
Examples of trail in a Sentence
Verb
The little girl went to her room, trailing her teddy bear behind her.
The dog's leash was trailing along the ground.
The little girl's teddy bear trailed behind her.
He trailed us as we worked our way up the mountain.
The President is trailing in the polls as the election approaches.
We were trailing by 3 runs at the end of the 6th inning.
Our team trailed their team at the end of the 6th inning.
Noun
Stay on the trail if we get separated.
The car left a trail of smoke as it sped off.
following the trail to success
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Recent Examples on the Weboregonlive, 9 Sep. 2023
Hereford finished with 77 points and was trailed by Notre Dame Prep (125), Bryn Mawr (142), Richard Montgomery (185) and McDonogh (191).
—Craig Clary, Baltimore Sun, 9 Sep. 2023
This means using a taller focal point plant, a shorter plant or two to fill in around it, and then a few trailing plants to spill over the side.
—Marianne Willburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Sep. 2023
Hurts had played 33 snaps in the Eagles’ first 11 games, but with Philadelphia trailing the Green Bay Packers 20-3, coach Doug Pederson sent Hurts out for the second series of the second half.
—Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 8 Sep. 2023
Not with 23 games remaining and trailing in the wild card race by a half game.
To replace García on the roster, the Rangers will call up the organization’s top prospect, Evan Carter.
—Evan Grant, Dallas News, 7 Sep. 2023
Sircar and other members of the opposition boycotted the ceremony, during which Modi entered the lower-house chamber trailed by a retinue of shirtless Hindu holy men.
—Daniel Brook, The New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2023
Former Republican National Committeeman Bruce Hough trails with 26% of the vote early Wednesday morning.
—Ben Kamisar, NBC News, 6 Sep. 2023
The Tigers, as of Tuesday night, trail the Minnesota Twins by 10 games for first place in the American League Central.
—Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press, 30 Aug. 2023
WSJ, 21 Sep. 2023
Headline of the day DeSantis' anti-Covid comments give him ‘momentum’ on the campaign trail
Sept. 13, 202304:13
Ron DeSantis' descent continues, unabated by the debate and time on the trail
At the same time, the Florida governor is racing to raise money in Texas and California.
—Mark Murray, NBC News, 21 Sep. 2023
Homes with fenced yards, Zillow research shows, sell an average of three days faster than non-fenced homes.
Access to parks or trails also ranks high on the wants list.
—Tom Peterson, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023
The American Climate Corps is a rebirth of the Civilian Conservation Corps, or CCC, which put 3 million people to work during the Great Depression developing the national parks, building roads and trails, and managing forests.
—WIRED, 21 Sep. 2023
From coast-to-coast, and north to south, cities across America offer something unique for travelers to adore, including fall festivals, music events, and lengthy hiking trails to explore, all covered in a blanket of colorful fall foliage.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2023
Ong dipped her hand into one of cold, clear pools along the trail.
—Laura Newberry, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2023
Stallworth and Drew Gentry, her biology teacher who was fossil hunting with her, followed the trail of bone up a hill and discovered the skull of a prehistoric whale that may be a new species.
—Outdoor Life, 20 Sep. 2023
The images were captured on a trail camera set up by a member of the state’s Mountain Lion Response Team, MDC Furbearer and Black Bear Biologist Nate Bowersack tells Field & Stream.
—Travis Hall, Field & Stream, 20 Sep. 2023
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Verb
The Ducks never trailed and the third and took a 2-1 lead.
—oregonlive, 9 Sep. 2023
Hereford finished with 77 points and was trailed by Notre Dame Prep (125), Bryn Mawr (142), Richard Montgomery (185) and McDonogh (191).
—Craig Clary, Baltimore Sun, 9 Sep. 2023
This means using a taller focal point plant, a shorter plant or two to fill in around it, and then a few trailing plants to spill over the side.
—Marianne Willburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Sep. 2023
Hurts had played 33 snaps in the Eagles’ first 11 games, but with Philadelphia trailing the Green Bay Packers 20-3, coach Doug Pederson sent Hurts out for the second series of the second half.
—Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 8 Sep. 2023
Not with 23 games remaining and trailing in the wild card race by a half game.
To replace García on the roster, the Rangers will call up the organization’s top prospect, Evan Carter.
—Evan Grant, Dallas News, 7 Sep. 2023
Sircar and other members of the opposition boycotted the ceremony, during which Modi entered the lower-house chamber trailed by a retinue of shirtless Hindu holy men.
—Daniel Brook, The New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2023
Former Republican National Committeeman Bruce Hough trails with 26% of the vote early Wednesday morning.
—Ben Kamisar, NBC News, 6 Sep. 2023
The Tigers, as of Tuesday night, trail the Minnesota Twins by 10 games for first place in the American League Central.
—Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press, 30 Aug. 2023
Noun
In a new series from The Journal podcast, WSJ’s Caitlin Ostroff explores Bankman-Fried meteoric rise, devastating fall and the trail that will determine his future.
—WSJ, 21 Sep. 2023
Headline of the day DeSantis' anti-Covid comments give him ‘momentum’ on the campaign trail
Sept. 13, 202304:13
Ron DeSantis' descent continues, unabated by the debate and time on the trail
At the same time, the Florida governor is racing to raise money in Texas and California.
—Mark Murray, NBC News, 21 Sep. 2023
Homes with fenced yards, Zillow research shows, sell an average of three days faster than non-fenced homes.
Access to parks or trails also ranks high on the wants list.
—Tom Peterson, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023
The American Climate Corps is a rebirth of the Civilian Conservation Corps, or CCC, which put 3 million people to work during the Great Depression developing the national parks, building roads and trails, and managing forests.
—WIRED, 21 Sep. 2023
From coast-to-coast, and north to south, cities across America offer something unique for travelers to adore, including fall festivals, music events, and lengthy hiking trails to explore, all covered in a blanket of colorful fall foliage.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2023
Ong dipped her hand into one of cold, clear pools along the trail.
—Laura Newberry, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2023
Stallworth and Drew Gentry, her biology teacher who was fossil hunting with her, followed the trail of bone up a hill and discovered the skull of a prehistoric whale that may be a new species.
—Outdoor Life, 20 Sep. 2023
The images were captured on a trail camera set up by a member of the state’s Mountain Lion Response Team, MDC Furbearer and Black Bear Biologist Nate Bowersack tells Field & Stream.
—Travis Hall, Field & Stream, 20 Sep. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'trail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, perhaps from Anglo-French *trailer, alteration of trainer to drag, trail on the ground — more at train
First Known Use
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Time Traveler
The first known use of trail was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing trail
Dictionary Entries Near trail
Cite this Entry
“Trail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trail. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
trail
1 of 2 verb1
: to drag or draw along behind
2
: to lag behind
3
4
: to hang down or rest on or creep over the ground
trailing vines
a trailing skirt
5
: to form a trail
smoke trailed from the chimney
6
: to become less and less : dwindle
the voice trailed off
trail
2 of 2 noun1
: something that trails or is trailed
2
: a trace or mark left by something that has passed or been drawn along
3
a
: a track made by passage : a beaten path
b
: a path marked to show a route (as through a forest)
hiking trails
c
: an established course or routine
hit the campaign trail
More from Merriam-Webster on trail
Nglish: Translation of trail for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of trail for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about trail
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