plural coattails
1
: a long piece of cloth that hangs down at the back of a man's formal coat
—usually plural
He caught his coattails in the door.
2
plural
: the help or influence of another person's work, ideas, or popularity
They were elected to Congress by riding (on) the coattails of the President. = They were swept into office on the coattails of the President. [=they were elected because they belong to the same political party as the President, who is very popular]
Cite this Entry
“Coattail.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/coattail. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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