trailing 1 of 2

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

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
Verb
Mosley finished as the runner-up for NBA Coach of the Year last season, trailing only Oklahoma City’s Mark Daigneault. Josh Robbins, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024 Then with 47 seconds left, trailing 106-104, Curry dribbled into a stepback 3 from the left corner for the lead. Anthony Slater, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024 The Dow Jones Industrial Average, with a trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 27, and the S&P 500 Index’s P/E at 24, are both distorted by tech stocks, such as Nvidia (NVDA). Lawrence Carrel, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024 As with Bigsby, Spears is game script dependent, but Spears’ script is when trailing and needing to pass more. Jake Ciely, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024 Tangent Palantir is 2024’s third-best performing stock of any public company worth at least $50 billion regardless of S&P status, trailing only marketing software firm Applovin (756% gain) and bitcoin hoarder MicroStrategy (477%). Derek Saul, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024 At its current levels of $13, RUM stock is trading at 31x trailing revenues, which seems to be high. Trefis Team, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024 Palantir is by far the most expensive stock on the S&P by its price-to-sales ratio, a metric comparing companies’ trailing 12-month revenues to its market value. Derek Saul, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024 On Saturday, Moe Wagner suffered a knee injury and the Magic, trailing by 22 points at the end of the third quarter, rallied to beat the Miami Heat, outscoring the Heat 37-8 in the final quarter. Josh Robbins, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trailing
Noun
  • As the final major of 2025, The Open at Royal Portrush promises to deliver compelling storylines -- from McIlroy’s quest for home glory, to Scheffler’s pursuit of a links major and Schauffele’s bid for back-to-back titles -- at a beloved venue in front of the largest crowds outside of St Andrews.
    Erik Matuszewski, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • The guidelines, effective Feb. 1, came amid widespread criticism over the last few years that the NYPD routinely engaged in unnecessary pursuits that lead to crashes and injuries.
    Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • The two trips took 14 to 18 hours longer, on average, than the other journeys the gull took during the week-long tracking period, according to the paper.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 July 2025
  • Hundreds of Weeks on the Charts Luminate states that during the past tracking period in America, the Foo Fighters’ compilation moved another 9,100 equivalent units.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • Nebraska is all in on pursuing Millard South tight end Isaac Jensen.
    Mitch Sherman, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
  • Although initially pursuing a medical career, she was drawn back to her father's passion for sustainable energy solutions.
    Geri Stengel, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • In recent decades, technological advances have transformed the field of archeology, allowing for the sequencing of ancient DNA and the tracing of long-ago migrations.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
  • Scribble tracing can be a great activity for toddlers to explore nature and their creative side.
    Dr. Pooja Sarin Tandon, Boston Herald, 11 May 2025
Verb
  • Swim in a direction following the shoreline.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Major stock markets in Asia and Europe rose today in trading following the announcement of electronics exemptions.
    Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • These tailings are often stored and managed in order to be reliably and responsibly disposed of.
    Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
  • The tailings are already mined and sitting on the surface.
    Scott McWhorter, The Conversation, 6 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Trailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trailing. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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