1
: a board or gate at the rear of a vehicle that can be removed or let down (as for loading)
2
[from the custom of seating trombonists at the rear of trucks carrying jazz bands in parades]
: a jazz trombone style marked by much use of slides to and from long sustained tones
3
US
: tailgate party
Nowadays, tailgates have evolved into mobile feasts: face-to-face social networks where complete strangers bond over food and drink, and everyone is eager to share.—
Greg Ferro
Greg Ferro
tailgated; tailgating
1
: to drive dangerously close behind another vehicle
2
US
: to have a tailgate party
: to drive dangerously close behind
tailgater
noun
US
: relating to or being a tailgate party
Examples of tailgate in a Sentence
Verb
He hit the car in front of him because he was tailgating.
They started tailgating at 10 o'clock.
Recent Examples on the Web
Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2025
When folded up and not in use, all the 1UP bike racks tuck against the back of your car more cleanly and efficiently than any other rack out there, almost blending into the car or the tailgate.
—Jakob Schiller, Outside Online, 20 Jan. 2025
Ernesto Londoño, New York Times, 1 Jan. 2025
Be prepared for a wait, but use that time to tailgate with other expectant diners in the parking lot.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2024
New Atlas, 27 Dec. 2024
Those who really want a tailgate kitchen, cabinets or other amenities can always build their own, as there's more than enough floor space.
—New Atlas, 11 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tailgate 
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Noun
The crew started hosting the tailgates in 2016 with their own money and through donations.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2025
When folded up and not in use, all the 1UP bike racks tuck against the back of your car more cleanly and efficiently than any other rack out there, almost blending into the car or the tailgate.
—Jakob Schiller, Outside Online, 20 Jan. 2025
Verb
Drunken drivers tend to speed, tailgate and act more aggressively than sober ones.
—Ernesto Londoño, New York Times, 1 Jan. 2025
Be prepared for a wait, but use that time to tailgate with other expectant diners in the parking lot.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
Mealtime The tailgate galley has been thoroughly reorganized from Topo 1.0 to 2.0.
—New Atlas, 27 Dec. 2024
Those who really want a tailgate kitchen, cabinets or other amenities can always build their own, as there's more than enough floor space.
—New Atlas, 11 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tailgate
Dictionary Entries Near tailgate
Cite this Entry
“Tailgate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailgate. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tailgate
1 of 2 noun
tail·gate
ˈtā(ə)l-ˌgāt 
: a panel at the back end of a vehicle (as a station wagon) that can be let down for loading and unloading
tailgate
2 of 2 verb
tailgated; tailgating
: to drive dangerously close behind another vehicle
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