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Synonyms

trailing

British  
/ ˈtreɪlɪŋ /

adjective

  1. (of a plant) having a long stem which spreads over the ground or hangs loosely

    trailing ivy
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Trailing 5-4 in the third, the American saved five match points before earning the opportunity to serve for the match after breaking Sabalenka for a third time in the set.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

Trailing closely behind was former San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim, who received 1,018, or 40.2%, of the ballots.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026

Trailing six points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal after a frustrating 2-2 draw at Tottenham last weekend, City's progress to Wembley was a welcome boost for Guardiola.

From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026

Trailing 12-month changes in the GPR Index explain just 0.1% of corresponding changes in gold bullion — so low that it barely registers on the chart above.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 12, 2026

Trailing behind them was a banner, caught in the tank’s treads.

From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.