trail
Americanverb (used with object)
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to drag or let drag along the ground or other surface; draw or drag along behind.
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to bring or have floating after itself or oneself.
a racing car trailing clouds of dust.
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to follow the track, trail, or scent of; track.
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to follow along behind (another), as in a race.
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to mark out, as a track.
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to tread down or make a path through (grass or the like).
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to draw out, as speech; protract.
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Ceramics. to pour (slip) on a biscuit so as to produce a pattern.
verb (used without object)
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to be drawn or dragged along the ground or some other surface, as when hanging from something moving.
Her long bridal gown trailed across the floor.
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to hang down loosely from something.
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to stream from or float after something moving, as dust, smoke, and sparks do.
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to follow as if drawn along.
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to fish by trailing a line from a moving boat; troll.
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to go slowly, lazily, or wearily along.
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to pass or extend in a straggling line.
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to change gradually or wander from a course, so as to become weak, ineffectual, etc. (usually followed by off oraway ).
Her voice trailed off into silence.
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to arrive or be last.
He finally trailed in at 10 o'clock.
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to be losing in a contest.
The home team was trailing 20 to 15.
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to creep or crawl, as a serpent.
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to follow a track or scent, as of game.
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(of a plant) to extend itself in growth along the ground rather than taking root or clinging by tendrils, etc.
noun
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a path or track made across a wild region, over rough country, or the like, by the passage of people or animals.
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the track, scent, or the like, left by an animal, person, or thing, especially as followed by a hunter, hound, or other pursuer.
- Synonyms:
- spoor
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something that is trailed or that trails behind, as the train of a skirt or robe.
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a stream of dust, smoke, light, people, vehicles, etc., behind something moving.
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Artillery. the part of a gun carriage that rests on the ground when the piece is unlimbered.
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Architecture. a running vine, leaf, or tendril ornament, as in a Gothic molding.
idioms
verb
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to drag or stream, or permit to drag or stream along a surface, esp the ground
her skirt trailed
she trailed her skipping rope
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to make (a track or path) through (a place)
to trail a way
to trail a jungle
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to chase, follow, or hunt (an animal or person) by following marks or tracks
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to lag or linger behind (a person or thing)
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(intr) (esp of plants) to extend or droop over or along a surface
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(intr) to be falling behind in a race or competition
the favourite is trailing at the last fence
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(tr) to tow (a boat, caravan, etc) behind a motor vehicle
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(tr) to carry (a rifle) at the full length of the right arm in a horizontal position, with the muzzle to the fore
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(intr) to move wearily or slowly
we trailed through the city
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(tr) (on television or radio) to advertise (a future programme) with short extracts
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to invite a quarrel by deliberately provocative behaviour
noun
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a print, mark, or marks made by a person, animal, or object
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the act or an instance of trailing
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the scent left by a moving person or animal that is followed by a hunting animal
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a path, track, or road, esp one roughly blazed
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something that trails behind or trails in loops or strands
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the part of a towed gun carriage and limber that connects the two when in movement and rests on the ground as a partial support when unlimbered
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engineering the distance between the point of contact of a steerable wheel and a line drawn from the swivel pin axis to the ground
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(on television or radio) an advertisement for a future programme
Synonym Usage
See path.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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nontrailingadjective
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trail-lessadjective
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traillessadjective
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untrailedadjective
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untrailingadjective
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trailinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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trailsimple
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trailssimple
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have trailedperfect
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has trailedperfect
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am trailingprogressive
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are trailingprogressive
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is trailingprogressive
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have been trailingperfect progressive
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has been trailingperfect progressive
Past
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trailedsimple
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had trailedperfect
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was trailingprogressive
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were trailingprogressive
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had been trailingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of trail
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English trailen “to draw or drag in the rear”; compare Old English træglian “to tear off”; cognate with Middle Dutch traghelen “to drag”; akin to Latvian dragât “to tear off, drag”
Explanation
A trail is an unpaved path, like the narrow trail you follow through the woods on your hike. A trail can also be a series of clues that are left behind, also forming a kind of path. You can walk along a trail, and you can also follow a trail: "My little brother left a trail of cracker crumbs behind him, so I found him right away." When you trail, you move slowly behind something or someone, or you drag something on the ground: "She sadly trails her deflated balloon behind her." You also might trail someone you're chasing: "My dog likes to trail squirrels around the yard."
Vocabulary lists containing trail
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.
Although hikers can hear and glimpse the spring from the North Kaibab Trail, there is no trail leading directly to it.
From Science Daily • Jun. 2, 2026
That proves infeasible when he realizes, amid heavy snowfall, that the first stretch, Massachusetts’ 34-mile Johnny Appleseed Trail, is not a forest path but a paved highway unsuitable for pedestrians.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
An Australian man has died after falling down a ravine while walking on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru, local authorities have said.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
The Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers are shopping for a new head coach.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
“Well, actually we want to go to Spivey Gap. We’re hiking the Appalachian Trail, you see.”
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
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.
