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
Lincoln High School/USC’s Allen was the first collegiate tailback to run for 2,000 yards in a season.
—
Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 May 2024
There was one play where the former Georgia standout ran down a tailback in the backfield for what would have been a loss on a quick check down pass to the sidelines.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 21 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for tailback 
Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 May 2024
There was one play where the former Georgia standout ran down a tailback in the backfield for what would have been a loss on a quick check down pass to the sidelines.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 21 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for tailback
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tailback.' 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 tailback
Cite this Entry
“Tailback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailback. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.
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