What does "trailer" mean?
Someone who or something that trails (follows behind); something that is trailing.
Trailer
/ˈtɹeɪlɚ/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Someone who or something that trails (follows behind); something that is trailing.
- Grammar: trailer is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: preview, 3-d, afterpart, afterpiece.
- Useful contrasts: full length film, permanent dwelling, self propelled vehicle.
- Usage evidence: He attached the trailer to his car.
How to use "trailer"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "trailer" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "trailer" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "trailer" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "trailer" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "trailer" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "preview" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "trailer", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Someone who or something that trails (follows behind); something that is trailing.
"There were vehicles following me, of course, but was any of them trailing me? […] Without any warning, and without signalling with the trafficator, I took a sudden right turn, hoping to shake off my trailer."
- 2 a wheeled vehicle that can be pulled by a car or truck and is equipped for occupancy wordnet
- 3 Part of an object which extends some distance beyond the main body of the object.
"the trailer of a plant"
- 4 a large transport conveyance designed to be pulled by a truck or tractor wordnet
- 5 An unpowered wheeled vehicle (not a caravan or camper) that is towed behind another, and used to carry equipment, etc., that cannot be carried in the leading vehicle.
"At the end of the day, we put the snowmobiles back on the trailer."
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 an advertisement consisting of short scenes from a motion picture that will appear in the near future wordnet
- 7 A furnished vehicle towed behind another, and used as a dwelling when stationary. US
"We drove our trailer to Yellowstone Park."
- 8 someone who takes more time than necessary; someone who lags behind wordnet
- 9 A prefabricated home that could be towed to a new destination but is typically permanently left in an area designated for such homes. US
"The young couple′s first home was in a trailer."
- 10 A preview of a film, video game or TV show. US
"The trailer for that movie makes it seem like it would be fun."
- 11 A short blank segment of film at the end of a reel, for convenient insertion of the film in a projector.
- 12 The final record of a list of data items, often identified by a key field with an otherwise invalid value that sorts last alphabetically (e.g., “ZZZZZ”) or numerically (“99999”); especially common in the context of punched cards, where the final card is called a trailer card.
"The linked list terminates with a trailer record."
- 13 The last part of a packet, often containing a check sequence.
"The encapsulation layer adds an eight-byte header and a two-byte trailer to each packet."
Verb
- 1 To load on a trailer or to transport by trailer.
"The engine wouldn't run any more so we had to trailer my old car to the wrecking yard."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
full length filmpermanent dwellingself propelled vehiclesite built home
Example
"He attached the trailer to his car."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "trailer"?
Common synonyms include: preview, 3-d, afterpart, afterpiece, animated cartoon, black-and-white film.
How do you use "trailer" in a sentence?
He attached the trailer to his car.
How do you pronounce "trailer"?
Pronounced /ˈtɹeɪlɚ/.
Etymology
From trail + -er. The film sense derives from the fact that previews were formerly shown after the main feature, rather than before as is usual today, that is trailing after the main feature.