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Synonyms

tail end

American  

noun

  1. the hinder or rear part of anything.

  2. the concluding or final part or section; tag end.

    the tail end of a lecture.


tail end British  

noun

  1. the last, endmost, or final part

"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

tail end Idioms  
  1. The rear or hindmost part, as in Douglas was at the tail end of the academic procession . [Mid-1700s]

  2. The very end, the conclusion, as in Only at the tail end of his speech did he thank his sponsors . [Mid-1800s]


Etymology

Origin of tail end

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

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.

But the differential has been positive since the very tail end of 2020, and has spiked significantly since mid-February.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

“I literally thought to myself, ‘Well, I made it to the tail end of the series.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

Weather in March in the UK is famously unpredictable, caught between the tail end of winter and the first hints of spring.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

The median price of an existing home was $276,900 at the tail end of that year.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 11, 2026

Supposedly Volkheimer has carried three first-years across the river by holding them above his head; supposedly he has lifted the tail end of the commandants automobile high enough to slip a jack under the axle.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr