tailing 1 of 2

Definition of tailingnext
as in pursuit
the act of going after or in the tracks of another the reporter's constant tailing of the candidate resulted in an exclusive scoop

Synonyms & Similar Words

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tailing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of tail

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of tailing
Noun
The plaintiffs also argued that that a tailings dam, if breached, would send a flood of toxic sludge that would heavily impact the communities of Dripping Springs, Kearny and Winkelman, and could possibly travel about 280 miles down the Gila River's watershed. Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 7 Aug. 2025 In addition, Utah has significant amounts of tellurium that can be taken from tailings from copper mining and used in defense technologies. Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
Verb
Dortch had dropped off their daughter at school that morning when Bryant Carter, who had been tailing her, forced her out of her car at gunpoint and into his, WGN-TV reported. Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025 Sarkozy’s journey through Paris, which took him past the French National Assembly parliament building, was also captured live with more than a dozen cameramen on bikes tailing his car. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tailing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tailing
Noun
  • Speed Skating 500m and Team Pursuit will also give medals in speed skating sprint distances (including the men’s 500m and women’s 500m) on February 10, with team pursuit finals to follow later in the Games.
    Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Often, his philosophy of life, his vaunted pursuit of happiness, anchored his letter.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Color design is increasingly moving from trend-chasing choices to intentional restraint.
    R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
  • You’re being called to lead, build and commit to a long-term vision, rather than just chasing the next spark of inspiration.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Maduro continued exports to Chinese refiners, purchased Chinese arms, and even allowed China to construct two satellite tracking facilities in Venezuela, the El Sombrero and Luepa stations, both of which can be remotely accessed by Beijing.
    Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
  • The new tracking method may also help answer the big unknown of how much space debris actually reaches the surface of Earth.
    Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The Los Angeles Police Department is pursuing a driver wanted for burglary on Wednesday morning near the Inglewood area.
    CBS LA Staff, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Izaya Igaki and William Tsukamoto were two of the ten men on the Netflix dating show who were placed in Hokkaido to run a coffee truck together, while also pursuing romantic endeavors.
    Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Labor also sits at approximately 18% with the Greens trailing at 14% and the Lib Dems coming just behind at 13%.
    Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 26 Jan. 2026
  • The key to UConn’s recalibration was Blanca Quinonez, who checked in off the bench three and a half minutes into the opening quarter with the team trailing, 10-9.
    Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 24 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • McAdoo said the Ouachita County sheriff's office and Camden Police Department had been escorting nursing home and medical employees to and from work.
    Bill Bowden, Arkansas Online, 29 Jan. 2026
  • The Patriots arrived back at Gillette Stadium in grand style late Monday afternoon, with the Foxboro Police Department escorting the team into Patriot Place.
    Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The tracing of those two key relationships provides the heart of the documentary — especially the apparently countless appearances, both talk shows and filmed public events, at which Brooks either discussed those relationships or Reiner and Bancroft joined him.
    Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
  • Trying to track and contain a highly contagious virus—which requires interventions such as testing and rapid contact tracing—will tax public-health departments, too.
    Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Congressional hearings about the Abbey Gate attack began in March 2023, following initial investigations by the Department of Defense in late 2021.
    Alexandra Rockey Fleming, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
  • Kiefer Sutherland was arrested following an alleged altercation with a rideshare driver.
    Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 14 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Tailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tailing. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

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