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Synonyms

tailgate

1 American  
[teyl-geyt] / ˈteɪlˌgeɪt /

noun

  1. the board or gate at the back of a wagon, truck, station wagon, etc., which can be removed or let down for convenience in loading or unloading.

verb (used without object)

tailgated, tailgating

  1. to follow or drive hazardously close to the rear of another vehicle.

verb (used with object)

tailgated, tailgating

  1. to follow or drive hazardously close to the rear of (another vehicle).

adjective

  1. pertaining to or set up on a tailgate.

    a tailgate picnic before the football game.
tailgate 2 American  
[teyl-geyt] / ˈteɪlˌgeɪt /

noun

Jazz.

  1. a style of playing the trombone, especially in Dixieland jazz, distinguished especially by the use of melodic counterpoint and long glissandi.

tailgate British  
/ ˈteɪlˌɡeɪt /

noun

  1. another name for tailboard

  2. a door at the rear of a hatchback vehicle

"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

verb

  1. to drive very close behind (a vehicle)

"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

Other Word Forms

  • tailgater noun

Etymology

Origin of tailgate1

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55; tail 1 + gate 1

Origin of tailgate2

First recorded in 1945–50; so called from the usual seat of trombonists in trucks carrying musicians during a parade

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.

The owners hosted tailgate parties for staff at Purdue University football games and rewarded workers with free tickets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

The new rules stipulate that all doors except the tailgate "shall be equipped with a mechanical release exterior door handle".

From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026

It was inspired by state fairs, long summer nights and tailgate parties, made popular in the US.

From BBC • Nov. 21, 2025

With triple-walled insulation, a leak-proof lid and a “Don’t Sweat It” promise, they’ll keep beverages at the right temperature at any party, tailgate, or even the dinner table.

From Salon • Nov. 20, 2025

She came over and sat next to Toby on the tailgate.

From "We'll Fly Away" by Bryan Bliss

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.