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 WebHope Karnopp, Journal Sentinel, 8 May 2024
The Parliament will host a joint tailgate with members of SKC supporter groups The Cauldron and South Stand, expecting a few hundred fans to partake.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for tailgate 
Noun
The requirement won't apply to campgrounds or parking lots where events occur, including tailgates.
—Hope Karnopp, Journal Sentinel, 8 May 2024
The Parliament will host a joint tailgate with members of SKC supporter groups The Cauldron and South Stand, expecting a few hundred fans to partake.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for tailgate
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.
Dictionary Entries Near tailgate
Cite this Entry
“Tailgate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailgate. Accessed 15 May. 2024.
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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