tailgate

1 of 3

noun

tail·​gate ˈtāl-ˌgāt How to pronounce tailgate (audio)
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

tailgate

2 of 3

verb

tailgated; tailgating

intransitive verb

1
: to drive dangerously close behind another vehicle
2
US : to have a tailgate party

transitive verb

: to drive dangerously close behind
tailgater noun

tailgate

3 of 3

adjective

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
Noun
Federal safety regulators published the recall after learning the electronic gate-release, which could unlatch the tailgate while the vehicle is in motion, can cause a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash. USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2024 Boxy lines, fender flares and round headlights all contribute to the aesthetic, as do a split barn-door tailgate, roof rails and knobby tires. Michael Van Runkle, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Michigan tailgates appeared to overwhelmingly outnumber that of UGA. C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 Jason Kelce tailgates with Bills fans Before stripping down to his bare chest during Sunday's playoff game, Jason tailgated with Bills fans outside Highmark Stadium. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 22 Jan. 2024 Its spacious trunk easily accommodates luggage for road trips, and for those extensive shopping excursions, the rear seat folds down seamlessly to expand cargo space, further facilitated by a powered tailgate for effortless loading. Kyle Edward, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 The electronic gate-release, which could unlatch the tailgate while the vehicle is in motion, can cause a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash, according to the NHTSA. Amaris Encinas, The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024 On Friday, February 9, Bon Appétit partnered with MGM Rewards to host a tailgate in Las Vegas that featured food vendors from the two cities of the competing teams of Sunday's game—Al Pastor Papi from San Francisco and Q39 from Kansas City. The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 13 Feb. 2024 Their tailgates in Blue Lot 1 are legendary, with Zelada DJing and a board with shot glasses for 49 people to partake at once. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2024
Verb
The couple got to Green Bay seven hours before game time to tailgate with several members of the Milwaukee-area Chiefs fan group, as well as members of fellow Chiefs fan groups nationwide, who were also in town for the game. Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2024 In the atmosphere of professional and college sports, where everything from physicality to finances has become more extreme, why not tailgating? Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 26 Jan. 2024 Some like to journey every year to Sturgis, South Dakota for the motorcycle rally, others tailgate at college and pro football games. Michael Goldstein, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 Jason Kelce tailgates with Bills fans Before stripping down to his bare chest during Sunday's playoff game, Jason tailgated with Bills fans outside Highmark Stadium. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 22 Jan. 2024 That means not speeding or tailgating other cars, among other things. The Arizona Republic, 18 Jan. 2024 Even during the Ravens’ soggy, meaningless game against the Steelers in Week 18, there many fans were, tailgating just the same in the rain. Hayes Gardner, Baltimore Sun, 18 Jan. 2024 Although vastly outnumbered by thousands of tailgating 49ers fans waiting for the gates to open, Aiello was not alone. Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2024 His first step was crashing the Buffalo Bills tailgating fun before the game. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 22 Jan. 2024
Adjective
Since then, he's been a chef for the Pacers, a travel caterer for IndyCar and a tailgate chef for the 2022 College Football National Championship. Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Feb. 2024 The father-son duo made the trek from Chelsea just to come tailgate on the hallowed grounds of pregame fans before the watch party at Ford Field, with Ryan Eisley’s mother and girlfriend. Lily Altavena, Detroit Free Press, 28 Jan. 2024 Hosted by Guy Fieri, this free family friendly event is open to 10,000 fans of all ages and welcomes them to over 15 restaurants, Triple D specials, dozens of bars, tons of tailgate fun and surprise guests. Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 3 Jan. 2024 Super Bowl 2024 ticket prices On Location has official Super Bowl tickets that are guaranteed by the NFL and included as part of packages with options like open bars, tailgate food and pregame parties. The Arizona Republic, 12 Jan. 2024 The third-row seats can flip backward into a tailgate mode for stationary, rear-facing seating. Mike Austin, Car and Driver, 15 Apr. 2023 Murch, Jennings and the hundreds of others who were enjoying the green space on Saturday provided an ample example of how well such a tailgate space will be received. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Oct. 2023 Wear the sporty round-toe shoes with jeans during tailgate season or with a midi dress during the holiday season. Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 11 Oct. 2023 There are even portable models available that can be brought along to a tailgate, outdoor barbecue, or camping trip. Nor'adila Hepburn, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tailgate.' 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

Noun

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1949, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Adjective

1962, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tailgate was in 1854

Dictionary Entries Near tailgate

Cite this Entry

“Tailgate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailgate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tailgate

1 of 2 noun
tail·​gate ˈtā(ə)l-ˌgāt How to pronounce tailgate (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on tailgate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!