tailgate
noun
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.
tailgated
-
past participleof tailgate.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof tailgate.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
tailgatenounthe 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.
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.
Learner driver Teddy is recounting her fear at being tailgated by another driver mid-lesson.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2025
Feniger admits, “The only time I ever tailgated was when I was on ‘Top Chef Masters,’ and guess what?
From Salon ● Feb. 8, 2025
They live in Kansas, but said it was nice to take their mind of politics for a few hours as they tailgated with their daughter Rachel and her husband before the game.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2024
A security guard grew suspicious after Mr. Cabrera Fuentes and a travel companion tailgated onto residential premises and took a photo of the U.S. source’s license plate.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 22, 2022
A great musician, very bright, but not a good driver, Linton believed that she sometimes tailgated, and sometimes sped.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
