coattail

noun

coat·​tail ˈkōt-ˌtāl How to pronounce coattail (audio)
1
: the rear flap of a man's coat
2
coattails plural : the skirts of a dress coat, cutaway, or frock coat
3
coattails plural : the influence or pulling power of a popular movement or person (such as a political candidate)
congressmen riding into office on the president's coattails

Examples of coattail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web While state legislative candidates sometimes ride the coattails of the top of the ticket to victory, fierce partisans Downriver may not decide which party prevails in the fight to control the state House. Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, 13 Oct. 2024 There's a novelty to Osborn's candidacy as well for Nebraska -- with his momentum coming on the coattails of the Electoral College vote controversy, which also briefly thrust the state into national attention. Brittany Shepherd, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2024 Riding off the coattails of shows like Big Little Lies, The Perfect Couple, out on Netflix now, has all the makings of a hit on paper. Patricia Karounos, refinery29.com, 10 Sep. 2024 Not only did Arsenal hang onto City’s coattails again, but the team improved and forced Guardiola’s side to improve. Matias Grez, CNN, 16 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for coattail 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coattail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of coattail was circa 1600

Dictionary Entries Near coattail

Cite this Entry

“Coattail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coattail. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

coattail

noun
coat·​tail ˈkōt-ˌtāl How to pronounce coattail (audio)
1
: the rear flap of a man's coat
2
plural : the influence of a popular movement or person
politicians riding into office on the president's coattails
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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