tail 1 of 2

Definition of tailnext
1
as in entourage
a body of employees or servants who accompany and wait on a person the tail that accompanies the prince wherever he goes

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2
3
as in back
a behind part or surface the tail of the ship

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tail

2 of 2

verb

as in to chase
to go after or on the track of detectives tailed the suspect to see where he was going at that time of the evening

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tail
Noun
The tail is not yet cooked—though the hell-fire in which the whole book is broiled might not unreasonably have cooked it all ere this. Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026 While most amphibians eventually undergo metamorphosis and move from water to land, axolotls retain their tails and external feathery gills, essentially remaining in a permanent larval-like state. Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
Plan was to be bushy tailed & beauty rested [sic], as I was meant to head straight to glam for a slot with our beloved @DrewBarrymore, upon landing. Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 10 Apr. 2026 San Francisco Police Department The vehicle fled from the Palace of Fine Arts while being tracked by drone and tailed by plainclothes officers, police said. Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tail
Noun
  • Michael Jackson‘s estate is facing a new wave of molestation allegations leveled at the late pop star, this time from four siblings from New Jersey who say they were groomed and abused for years and that the many handlers in Jackson’s entourage willingly enabled it all.
    Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Cernuzio, an Italian reporter with Vatican Media, the Holy See’s in-house news operation, developed a close personal relationship with Francis and often traveled in his entourage when the pope left the Vatican.
    ABC News, ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • My cheeks reddened like spring blossoms in the air.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Declan Rice puffed his cheeks out for what could have been a world-record attempt in cheek-puffing.
    Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • He is built like a running back and bodies defensive backs after the catch.
    Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
  • When McDaniels popped off, teammates had his back.
    Troy Renck, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The Packers are chasing a fourth straight playoff berth after going 9-8-1 and losing 31-27 to the Chicago Bears in the NFC wild-card playoff round last season.
    Steve Megargee, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Joseph Wright chased that question in the set of paintings that the National Gallery is currently exhibiting.
    Julian Bell, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Actress Jodie Foster was just photographed toting the perfect hands-free carryall—sort of like a hybrid, crossbody-bag-meets-bum-bag.
    Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 12 Apr. 2026
  • Coach told us to be first one to the ball and to make those 50/50 plays, to do it on a bum ankle but still being able to give it my all and leave everything there for my teammates.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Quijano's team was able to track the orbits of the 15 binary systems to millisecond accuracy.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 28 Apr. 2026
  • The Fall-Winter 2026 Vogue Business size inclusivity report identified declines in both mid- and plus-size representation on the runway, to the lowest levels since the publication started tracking this data three years ago.
    Rory Satran, Vogue, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The 20,062-seat stadium has a Petco Park vibe, from the artwork and nods to the team’s history located throughout the stadium.
    Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
  • In advance of the Florida Legislature meeting next week to redraw congressional districts, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz is decrying the move as a partisan effort to eliminate Democratic seats.
    Jim DeFede, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Senators Chris Murphy and Ruben Gallego have spoken publicly about wanting to pursue this, and Bedoya notes that there’s precedent for this action, citing Democrats’ recent introduction of a bill to break up the meatpacking industry to create lower prices for consumers.
    Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Some states have post-mortem rights, allowing estates and heirs to pursue claims for varying amounts of time after a celebrity has died, while others don’t.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 30 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Tail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tail. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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