trailed

past tense of trail
as in chased
to go after or on the track of we trailed our friend into the woods, inadvertently spoiling his plans for a solitary hike

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 trailed Though the Knicks have trailed the entire game so far, the crowd has been as raucous as expected. Andrew Greif, NBC news, 9 June 2026 The Astros trailed 8-3 in the seventh. ABC News, 8 June 2026 Early-aughts nostalgia paid off better than ’80s, as Masters of the Universe’s box-office numbers trailed behind the horror spoof. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 7 June 2026 The Knicks trailed by as many as 14 points in their Game 1 win and by as many as 12 in Game 2. C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 6 June 2026 The Phillies trailed the Dodgers, 3-2. Jayson Stark, New York Times, 5 June 2026 Hilton on Thursday maintained his slight lead over Democrat Xavier Becerra, the former California attorney general and Health and Human Services secretary in the Biden administration, while billionaire progressive Tom Steyer trailed in third place. Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026 Lucy Vellema, an educator, trailed in a distant third place, at about 6%. Claire Wang, Oc Register, 4 June 2026 Saint Mary’s trailed 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday before putting together a game-tying rally. Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 1 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trailed
Verb
  • Winn then allowed a bases-clearing double to Abrams to tie the game at 3-3, and Daylen Lile gave the Nationals a lead and chased Winn from the game with a soft single to center that scored the final run.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
  • Popov testified that Sibley chased him and punched him in the head.
    CBS News, CBS News, 9 June 2026
Verb
  • Diomande made a spectacular leap at RB Leipzig in 2025-26 and comes into this tournament being tracked closely by Europe’s elite clubs.
    Liam Twomey, New York Times, 11 June 2026
  • This death marks the 58th homicide in Kansas City in 2026, compared to 71 at this time last year, according to data tracked by The Star, which includes fatal police shootings.
    Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • Every victim deserves to be heard, and every allegation will be thoroughly investigated and pursued in accordance with the law.
    Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026
  • Opportunities are pursued based on commercial judgment, with legal feasibility evaluated as a secondary step.
    Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Soon other colonies followed the state’s lead, and the 13 colonies approved the Declaration of Independence two days later.
    Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
  • The transformation happened gradually, first a patio, then a beer and wine license, followed by a bar.
    Conor McGill, CBS News, 6 June 2026
Verb
  • Austin's father, Jeff Metcalf, tried to attend that news conference but was escorted out of the building by Dallas Police, reported Fox 4.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 10 June 2026
  • Deputies escorted McMaster to a nearby cell with a restroom.
    Tim Fang, CBS News, 9 June 2026
Verb
  • Black, silver and gold embroidery, sequins and gems traced the plunging bodice and skirt in branch-like lines, with larger curved swirls near the hem.
    Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 7 June 2026
  • It can be directly traced to 1889, when German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck established it as the basis for Germany’s national pension system.
    Jon Sabes, Fortune, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • Also in attendance were Peter Phillips' cousins, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, as well as his mother, Princess Anne, and his sister Zara Tindall, who was accompanied by her husband Mike and their daughters, Mia and Lena.
    Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Vanity Fair, 6 June 2026
  • Proving that less is more, Pelley’s words were accompanied by a clearly happy photo of the former long long time CBS News correspondent steering a boat on the seas.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 6 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Trailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trailed. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on trailed

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster