Standard Lemma guide

trailing

adj · noun · verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈtɹeɪ.lɪŋ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪlɪŋ
  • CMU ARPABET: T R EY1 L IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

That converge in the direction of travel.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: rail-transport, railways, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

That follows behind; especially, that is attached and pulled behind.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • the trailing railcars
  • the trailing comments
  • no trailing whitespace characters

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Fabric or other material that trails.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

present participle and gerund of trail

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

the pursuit (of a person or animal) by following tracks or marks they left behind

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tracking

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pursuit, chase, pursual, following

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • German: anhängend — rail transport: converging in the direction of travel
  • German: nachziehend — rail transport: converging in the direction of travel
  • German: nachschleppend — rail transport: converging in the direction of travel
Real reading context

trailing in complete knowledge articles