tailing 1 of 2

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
Phoenix Tailings, a startup in Massachusetts, is also among a handful of U.S. companies prepared to refine rare earths, by refining the tailings, or leftover waste, from mining companies. Emily Feng, NPR, 23 July 2025 For comparison, earlier rovers used a brush instead to sweep debris, or tailings, out of the way. Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 30 June 2025
Verb
Who Hit Whom—The Federal Account Border Patrol agents were acting as a mobile security detail when Martinez and Ruiz joined a convoy of civilian vehicles tailing federal cars for more than 20 minutes. Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025 Starting for the first time in three weeks and for the first time in left field in nearly two months, Johnson laid out to catch a sinking, tailing line drive by Christian Yelich for the first out of the ninth inning. Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tailing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tailing
Noun
  • Al-Khelaifi and Perez’s relationship was seriously damaged by Real Madrid’s long pursuit of Mbappe, which finally ended with the player leaving PSG to join Madrid in summer 2024.
    Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Gentleman thief Sir Charles Lytton (David Niven) circles the prize while Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers) bungles the pursuit with sublime obliviousness.
    Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Oriental Narratives on the Global Stage As Chinese brands evolve from chasing scale to shaping meaning, global fashion weeks have become essential to building emotional resonance.
    Li Jun, Footwear News, 2 Nov. 2025
  • Minutes later, a fumble deep in Buffs territory set up another Wildcats touchdown, leaving the hosts scoreless and already chasing.
    Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • As always, be sure to check your aurora tracking apps like My Aurora Forecast & Alerts or Space Weather Live to see if the activity is strong in your area.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
  • What To Know Flight delays and cancellations escalated over the weekend, with real-time flight tracking data confirming over 8,000 delays across the United States on Sunday, which was up from approximately 5,300 the previous day.
    Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Aleister Black has revealed that his new on-screen partnership with his wife, Zelina Vega, was an idea that WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H was not initially interested in pursuing.
    Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Kuehneman succeeds Jacinth Smiley, who is leaving the company and will be pursuing other opportunities, according to the announcement.
    Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • So their prospects of winning Game 3 took a hit when Glasnow was pulled in the fifth inning with the Dodgers trailing.
    Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 28 Oct. 2025
  • To have Jones trailing in a poll that looks relatively good for his ticket mates, though, should trouble his campaign.
    Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Prior to his arraignment, the defendant confessed to the sheriffs escorting him to the courtroom, the release said.
    KC Baker, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
  • During the deployment, the British aircraft carrier and its escorting warships have operated in the South China Sea, where China has sweeping territorial claims, and in the Indian Ocean for the first-ever dual aircraft carrier exercise with their Indian counterparts.
    Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The other notable advancement involves ray tracing, which adds realistic lighting and shadow effects to games.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2025
  • The extra graphical features of this re-release (including ray tracing) help sell the 'haunted house' feeling of an empty colony at the center of constant storms.
    Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Daily Fiction By Oyinkan Braithwaite The following is from Oyinkan Braithwaite's Cursed Daughters.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Ladd was initially against her daughter, Laura Dern, following in her footsteps and becoming an actress.
    Louis Casiano , Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Tailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tailing. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

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