Definition of tailbacknext
British
as in jam
a crowded mass (as of cars) that impedes or blocks movement stuck in a five-mile tailback on the southbound carriageway

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of tailback Georgia denied the Sooners’ 2-point-conversion attempt, as Wilson and Elijah Griffin stuffed tailback Lloyd Avant for no gain, leaving the score 28-6. — Mike Griffith, AJC.com, 27 Sep. 2026 Third-string tailback London Montgomery’s 74-yard kickoff return in the third quarter set up a touchdown, while a 41-yarder earlier ignited the scoring drive ending with Clark’s long run. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Sep. 2026 The Dolphins already had fellow running back Jaylen Wright out, so their one other active tailback Sunday was Ollie Gordon II. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 27 Sep. 2026 The 225-pound tailback leads Western Michigan with 207 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 42 carries. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tailback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tailback
Noun
  • Despite this informal, jam-forward approach, however, Silk Fence appear to be chasing something; an understated but steady coherence gives direction to even their most wandering moments.
    — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Last month, at the Earl Scruggs Music Festival in Western North Carolina, MGU rolled through an hour-long set of new material from Appalachian Smoke and intricate improvisational jams.
    — Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Crowd congestion is certainly common around these parts, but can be escaped pretty easily and avoided entirely if guests make use of their location to visit these sites early in the morning.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Where is aisle congestion forming before an incident report is ever filed?
    — Allan Malcolm, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • As the company grows, more people, more complexity, more decisions, that same model becomes a bottleneck.
    — Monte Wyatt, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • If those three zones overlap on the same stretch of counter, that overlap is your bottleneck, not the room’s size.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • His Lamb goes from a brash Yorkshire showman to a callous profiteer of human vice and misery, his cheeky smile becoming a vicious snarl.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
  • This year’s Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer with closures, travel snarls and record gas prices in California.
    — Vince Basada, Sacbee.com, 7 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Tailback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tailback. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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