TRAILING Synonyms: 36 Similar and Opposite Words

trailing 1 of 2

noun

as in pursuit

the act of going after or in the tracks of another the detectives' trailing of the suspect led them to the stolen merchandise

Synonyms & Similar Words

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trailing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of trail

as in chasing

to go after or on the track of we trailed our friend into the woods, inadvertently spoiling his plans for a solitary hike

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 trailing

Noun

Its leading edge sweeps back 37 degrees, with a 28-degree sweep along the trailing edge. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026 To achieve this, the wings need a very high aspect ratio, which is, to put it very simply, the ratio between a wing's span and its average width from its leading edge to its trailing edge. — David Szondy august 04, New Atlas, 4 Aug. 2026 Profits barely budged until mid-2025, then accelerated, rising 25% on a trailing, four-quarter basis through Q1 of 2026. — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 30 July 2026 Meanwhile the company repurchased $6 billion of stock over the trailing year, roughly 100 million shares. — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 The room is framed by a mural trailing across the top of the walls, by local artist Rafael Arana, tracking scenes from the life of Gilded Age heiress Arabella Huntington. — Jocelyn Silver, Vogue, 26 July 2026 Spain has not spent a single second trailing at this World Cup; Argentina has trailed for more than 100 minutes, including stoppage time. — Tim Reynolds, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026 Compared with Spain’s near-flawless record, the reigning champions have spent 14 per cent of their tournament trailing, which is double the rate of their triumphant campaign in Qatar (seven per cent). — Mark Carey, New York Times, 18 July 2026 The graceful trailing stems and showy flowers of climbing hydrangeas (Hydrangea anomala) look beautiful growing on pergolas and fences. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 27 June 2026

Verb

Richards hung tough early, trailing just 7-0 at halftime before Coleman and Pratt connected for the 19-yard TD on third-and-9 on the opening possession of the second half. — Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026 Flores and Lewis ignited a rally in a series of runs after trailing 12-2 in the second set. — Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026 Johannessen was second 34 seconds back and Wout van Aert rounded out the podium, trailing by 47 seconds. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026 Headed to the fourth quarter, Bishop Moore trailing Palos Verdes 21-11. — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026 Iraola didn’t have the best of starts, with Liverpool trailing most of the game against Newcastle. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026 The Liberty did just that, trailing by just two points in the first while exhibiting good ball movement and some positive possessions in transition. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026 The stock notched its second-best day ever, trailing only August 2020, when shares jumped roughly 26%. — Cj Haddad, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026 The Marlins’ 39 home wins are fourth-most in the majors, trailing only Tampa Bay (43), Milwaukee (43), and Atlanta (42). — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for trailing

Noun

In a great dramatic irony, his artistic pursuits, far away from the regimented goal of militaristic stoicism, lead to his initial tryout.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
But the same steadfast pursuit that’s placed the attorney at the center of nearly every call for racial justice in the past decade has earned Crump more than a few detractors.

— Ryan Young, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of pursuit

Verb

Rather than chasing virality and social media hits, Obeid advises restaurants to focus deeper on creating businesses that fulfill a need for the community around them.

— Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 30 Aug. 2026
For small business owners, partnering with mid-tier creators is likely a better bet than chasing celebrity endorsements.

— Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of chasing

Noun

The new feature joins other functions available through teen accounts, including trip tracking, PIN verification and audio recording, according to Uber.

— Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026
Within that, the specific element of the tracking data which makes batting so tough is the inconsistency of bounce, with a large number of deliveries either spitting (bouncing excessively) or scooting (bouncing far less than anticipated).

— Ben Jones Aug. 26, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of tracking

Verb

The firm is currently pursuing technology evaluations, supply agreements, and corporate partnerships to expand production.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Bonta added that the state is in communication with Snap, and is pursuing conversations with TikTok, with hopes that YouTube will also come to the table.

— Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of pursuing

Noun

But contact tracing has been especially difficult, with 60% to 70% of new cases detected among people who weren't already being monitored, meaning infected people can spread the virus before health workers know to follow them.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
Conahan was arrested in February 1997, accused of raping Montgomery, strangling him and cutting off his genitals to eliminate DNA tracing.

— CBS Miami Team, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of tracing

Verb

Now his focus is on following in his parents’ footsteps working with the Children’s Institute, an organization that supports children and families.

— Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2026
Analysts note that following SpaceX's record-breaking IPO last month, investor interest in commercial spaceflight and the broader space sector has risen steadily.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of following

Verb

The striking photo was taken along India's west coast where locals give sea turtle hatchlings (Lepidochelys olivacea) a fighting chance by escorting them from their nests to the water.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 20 Aug. 2026
In addition, Russian forces struck two tugboats in the Black Sea that were escorting cargo ships carrying Western weapons for Ukraine, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said.

— Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of escorting

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“Trailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trailing. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of trailing

noun

verb

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