tailback

noun

tail·​back ˈtāl-ˌbak How to pronounce tailback (audio)
1
: the offensive football back farthest from the line of scrimmage
2
British : a line of vehicles caused by a traffic slowdown or stoppage

Examples of tailback in a Sentence

stuck in a five-mile tailback on the southbound carriageway
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.
Other tailbacks in this draft - Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson, just to name a few - might have a pro career that’s just as productive as Jeanty. Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2025 Rising second-year tailback Jaylen Wright has some physicality in his running style, but he was seldom used as a rookie, possibly with an opportunity to grow in Year 2. David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2025 Arizona State’s dynamo is part bowling ball, part ballistic missile — all of it packaged in the body of a tailback who became one of the sport’s best players and finished fifth in the Heisman race. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2025 The Chiefs suddenly have a crowded depth chart at tailback. Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tailback

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tailback was in 1930

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Cite this Entry

“Tailback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailback. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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