1
: the offensive football back farthest from the line of scrimmage
2
British
: a line of vehicles caused by a traffic slowdown or stoppage
Examples of tailback in a Sentence
stuck in a five-mile tailback on the southbound carriageway
Recent Examples on the Web
Miami also has rising second-year tailback Ollie Gordon II to provide short-yardage capabilities and had Jaylen Wright, who enters into his third season in 2026, come along later in the past season.
—
David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Indiana tailback Kaelon Black, fresh off the national championship, bristled at the notion that his team was simply the product of the change in college football.
—Seth Emerson, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
The Broncos also will need more production from tailbacks Jaleel McLaughlin and RJ Harvey, who combined for 41 rushing yards across just 10 carries against Buffalo.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2026
The 49ers didn’t have a single running back break 300 yards last season, and while the line struggled to open holes, the tailbacks couldn’t hold on to the ball.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 19 Jan. 2026
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David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Indiana tailback Kaelon Black, fresh off the national championship, bristled at the notion that his team was simply the product of the change in college football.
—Seth Emerson, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
The Broncos also will need more production from tailbacks Jaleel McLaughlin and RJ Harvey, who combined for 41 rushing yards across just 10 carries against Buffalo.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2026
The 49ers didn’t have a single running back break 300 yards last season, and while the line struggled to open holes, the tailbacks couldn’t hold on to the ball.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tailback
Cite this Entry
“Tailback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailback. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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