rear-end

1 of 2

verb

ˈrir-ˈend How to pronounce rear-end (audio)
-ˌend
rear-ended; rear-ending; rear-ends

transitive verb

: to crash into the back of (a vehicle)

rear end

2 of 2

noun

1
: the back part or section of something (such as a motor vehicle)
The preliminary investigation revealed that while traffic was stopped, the driver of a Ford F-150 pickup truck hit the rear end of a Buick passenger car …Gabe Hauari
2
: buttocks
He's sneaky strong, having increased his bench press to 325 pounds, but his legs remain matchsticks and he has virtually no rear end.Curry Kirkpatrick

Examples of rear-end in a Sentence

Noun She stood up and brushed off her rear end. The car's rear end was badly damaged in the accident.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
The semi truck Fonseca was driving for the company was rear-ended by another semi truck in 2017, forcing him to file a workers’ compensation claim with a doctor’s order to restrict commercial driving and minimize lifting objects. Bysasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2024 Fatal incidents in which front seats collapsed backward in rear-end accidents, and onto kids seated behind them, had already been on the rise for years. Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2024
Noun
That advanced air-suspension system shines brightest while cornering, as the Gravity begins to lean over just a bit, pushing weight onto the outside tires until the rear end squares up and plants, then the vehicle shoves off into seeming warp speed yet again. Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 10 Dec. 2024 Adult film site CamSoda is said to have offered $250,000 to Tyson to show off his rear end for an hour on a live stream. Ryan Morik, Fox News, 24 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rear-end 

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1957, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1785, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rear-end was in 1785

Dictionary Entries Near rear-end

Cite this Entry

“Rear-end.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rear-end. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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