A rabbit has long ears and a short tail.
Source: tatoeba (2117)
Tail
/teɪl/
Synonyms for "tail" (370 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (74)
Strong matches (111)
Noun(21 words)
chasescottontailderrieredogfishesdoggingdoggoningdogsdust tailempennageextremesfag endfannyfishtailfishtailsflagellumsfollowfollow examplefollowing studyfundamenthind end
Show 1 more word
cheekcheekschignoncodacodicilcoilcolophoncome aftercome behindcommentaryconclusivecontentscontents pagecopyright pagecourtiercroupcuedanglerdedicationdefinitive
Show 63 more words
dependentdeterminativediscipledockdogdraperyduffencliticendleafendmostendpaperendsheetenvoiepilogueerrataeventualextremeextremityeyefag endfanfannyfantailfarthestfarthest boundfinalflagflapflunkyflyleaffoliofollowfollow a cluefollow upfollowerfollowingfore edgeforewordfront mattergo aftergo behindhalf-title pagehandhanger onhanger-onheadheelhenchmanhindhind endhind parthinderhindermosthindhandhindheadhindmosthomme de courhoundhunt downimpimprintindexinfix
Related words (185)
inscriptioninterlineationinterpolationintroductionjointjumping off placejumping-off placekeisterknotlastleafleglimblimitlimitinglinklobelobulemakeupmarginalia
Show 122 more words
membermove behindnibnosenose outnoteocciputoffshootorganpageparasitepartisanpartspendantpigtailpinionplaitpointpolarpoleposteriorposternpostscriptpratprefaceprefixpreliminariesprocliticpublicpursuepursuerpursuivantqueuerabbitramificationrattailrearrear endrearmostrearwardrectoretrogradereversereversoriderrumprun downrun to earthrunnerrunning titlerusty-dustysatellitescholiascionsectaryshadowsignaturesmellsmell outsniff outspraysprigspurstalksternstoogestring alongstubstumpsubtitlesuccessorsuffixsupporterswitchtabtable of contentstagtag aftertag alongtag endtagtailtail endtailedtailgatetailliketailpiecetendrilterminalterminatingterminativetextthuletiptitletitle pagetoadytopknottracetrace downtracktrack downtrailtrail aftertrailertraintrainbearertread close upontrim sizetruckletuchistushtushytwigtwisttype pageultima thuleultimateversovotarywakeward heelerwing
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: rear, shadow, acknowledgment, acknowledgments, adherent.
- Sentence evidence is available for tail, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "tail".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "tail"
Keep "tail" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "tail" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "tail", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "tail" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
25 entriesShowing 16 of 25 words.
More specific
12 entriesCollocations
12 entriescomet tailcovert tailingdust tailleft tailovert tailingpursuitshadowingsurveillancetail endtail feathertail sectiontracking
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
4 entriesAntonyms
1 entriesTranslations
18 translations across 16 languages.
Bulgarian
1 entries- следвам verb (to tail)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 尾隨 /尾随 verb (to tail)
Czech
1 entries- sledovat verb (to tail)
Dutch
2 entries- beschatten verb (to tail)
- schaduwen verb (to tail)
Esperanto
1 entries- gvatsekvi verb (to tail)
Finnish
1 entries- varjostaa verb (to tail)
German
1 entries- beschatten verb (to tail)
Hebrew
1 entries- זינב verb (to tail)
Hungarian
1 entries- követ verb (to tail)
Italian
1 entries- pedinare verb (to tail)
Japanese
1 entries- 尾行する verb (to tail)
Macedonian
1 entries- сле́ди verb (to tail)
Norwegian
2 entries- forfølge verb (to tail)
- skygge verb (to tail)
Portuguese
1 entries- seguir verb (to tail)
Slovak
1 entries- sledovať verb (to tail)
Vietnamese
1 entries- theo đuôi verb (to tail)
Sample sentences
27 total sentences available.
A fish swims by moving its tail.
Source: tatoeba (19345)
Better to be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion.
Source: tatoeba (29851)
Despite the fact that Mary keeps saying I was the only man she'd like to marry, when I proposed to her, she said "NO". I cannot make head or tail of it.
Source: tatoeba (31945)
Showing 4 of 27 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "tail"?
Closest matches include rear, shadow, acknowledgment, acknowledgments, adherent.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "tail"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.