trailing 1 of 2

Definition of trailingnext
as in pursuit
the act of going after or in the tracks of another the detectives' trailing of the suspect led them to the stolen merchandise

Synonyms & Similar Words

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trailing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of trail

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 trailing
Noun
There were also trains galore, perhaps none longer than the 13-foot one trailing from the back of Doechii’s Roberto Cavalli dress. Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026 The fund, which launched in 1998, has 15-year and 10-year trailing returns in the top quartile of its peers, and its 5-year returns are in the second quartile, per Morningstar. Michelle Fox, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026 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 In the final two minutes, with the Bruins trailing, Dent knocked down a 3-point shot and dished to Tyler Bilodeau for another 3-pointer that restored the Bruins’ lead with eight seconds left. Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026 The mocha-mousse dress featured long sleeves, a plunging V-neckline, ab-baring cutouts, crisscross designs, and a wispy trailing skirt. Christina Perrier, InStyle, 11 Jan. 2026 Brown scored 27 points and committed five turnovers in the loss, including one with 47 seconds remaining and the Celtics trailing, 95-93. Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026 Mosley pulled his starters with four and-a-half minutes left in the third quarter and the Magic trailing by 26 points. Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
The Bears had seven wins in the regular season and playoffs after trailing with two minutes or less to go in the 4th quarter, the most such wins in the league, including that pivotal win over the Packers. Todd Feurer, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026 Delgado broke with Hochul and is running against his boss in the Democratic primary, but is trailing far behind in polls. Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026 Epic holds 42% of the acute hospital EHR market and 55% of beds, with the next-largest company, Oracle Health, trailing behind at 23% of the market and 22% of beds. Brittany Trang, STAT, 4 Feb. 2026 Look at a stock like MSFT, which sees 37% growth for Azure and 17% across the company, along with 45% operating margins while trading at 30x trailing earnings. Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026 Boston is 29-18, tied with the New York Knicks for the second-best record in the East, and owns the NBA’s third-best net rating, trailing only Oklahoma City and Detroit. Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 29 Jan. 2026 The Ducks, who started 1-of-11 shooting, shot just 25% (8 for 32) from the field and 4 for 17 (24%) from 3-point range in the first half, trailing 36-22 at the break. Daily News, 29 Jan. 2026 Shirts were also a focal point at Prada, particularly ones with trailing, unbuttoned cuffs. Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 29 Jan. 2026 With the Lakers trailing by 20 by the third quarter, the chants for James started early. Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trailing
Noun
  • But the pursuit of transgression for its own sake can easily derail sound judgment.
    Laura K. Field, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Two people were also arrested for allegedly engaging police in pursuit and a man who was charged with possession of narcotics with intent to sell.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Designed for sports, workouts, and outdoor activities, including extreme situations like chasing a departing plane, the glasses feature a smart camera, immersive audio, and built-in Meta AI for everyday performance.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
  • This all comes off as quite wholesome and healthy and refreshing to the large group of investors who spent the past three years bemoaning the increasing concentration of market value in a small cluster of AI-chasing tech platform giants.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The letter states that Google’s generative artificial intelligence is used by CBP and that the Google Play Store has blocked ICE tracking apps.
    Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2026
  • However, SpaceX stresses that this tracking is no substitute for transparency on the part of satellite operators, who should remember to share data on any trajectory changes.
    David Szondy February 07, New Atlas, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Even so, he was discouraged from pursuing a career in music.
    Jim Dudlicek, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Prosecutors disagree, insisting that Brown recklessly communicated a threat on X (formerly Twitter) and that the First Amendment does not prevent them from pursuing the case.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Contact tracing is underway and parents or guardians will be informed if the sick individual is a close contact to their child.
    David Matthews, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
  • In the two current cases in India, contact tracing revealed almost 200 people who had been in contact with the infected people and none has had the virus.
    Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The Administrative Office of the Courts contracted with Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma to create the Oklahoma Office of Family Representation to manage the program following the enactment of the law in 2023.
    Raynee Howell, Oklahoma Watch, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Leader of the conservative Primero Justicia party, Guanipa was among several high-profile political prisoners freed on Sunday, in the latest effort from Caracas to satisfy US demands following Washington’s ouster of strongman leader Nicolás Maduro.
    Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Mining sites face a similar issue, with arsenic concentrated in tailings near extraction areas.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Jan. 2026
  • Why the Boundary Waters Mine Is a Bad Trade Twin Metals skeptics also question where the copper would be processed, and how the millions of tons of mine tailings would be stored safely.
    Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 15 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • After an hour in the lounge, the staff began escorting us to the train.
    Adam Erace, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026
  • In photos of the arrest, authorities can be seen escorting suspect Kyle Wagner from an apartment building in Minneapolis.
    Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Trailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trailing. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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