Illustration of dovetail
- 1 mortises
- 2 tenons
- 3 joint
: something resembling a dove's tail
especially
: a flaring tenon and a mortise into which it fits tightly making an interlocking joint between two pieces (as of wood)
dovetailed; dovetailing; dovetails
1
a
: to join by means of dovetails
b
: to cut to a dovetail
2
a
: to fit skillfully to form a whole
b
: to fit together with
: to fit together into a whole
Examples of dovetail in a Sentence
Verb
the Union and the Confederate accounts of the battle don't dovetail at all
Recent Examples on the Web
Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 2 May 2026
Look for solid-wood pieces with clean lines and signs of thoughtful construction, such as dovetail joinery.
—Tessa Cooper, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2026
Ed Silverman, STAT, 22 May 2026
The resurgence of Kobbie Mainoo in the heart of United’s midfield means that any new signing will be playing alongside the 21-year-old — and carry a profile that will dovetail with his existing role in coach Michael Carrick’s 4-2-3-1 system.
—Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 21 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dovetail
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Noun
Many of the details in the government’s case dovetail with those revealed in a 2012 Kansas City Star investigation, which found that Jones and other executives were living the good life.
—Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 2 May 2026
Look for solid-wood pieces with clean lines and signs of thoughtful construction, such as dovetail joinery.
—Tessa Cooper, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
Such overtures are hardly new, but this particular solicitation appears notable partly because the company is being very direct about seeking research that is designed to address specific points, rather than solicit topics that may — or may not — dovetail with corporate goals.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 22 May 2026
The resurgence of Kobbie Mainoo in the heart of United’s midfield means that any new signing will be playing alongside the 21-year-old — and carry a profile that will dovetail with his existing role in coach Michael Carrick’s 4-2-3-1 system.
—Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 21 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dovetail
Cite this Entry
“Dovetail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dovetail. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dovetail
1 of 2 noun
dove·tail
-ˌtāl 
: something shaped like a dove's tail
especially
: a joint between two pieces (as of wood) formed by a wedge-shaped part that fits tightly into a wedge-shaped slot in the other piece
dovetail
2 of 2 verb1
a
: to join by means of dovetails
b
: to cut to a dovetail
2
: to fit skillfully together to form a whole
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