Meanings
verbtrail behind (third-person singular simple present trails behind, present participle trailing behind, simple past and past participle trailed behind)
present singular third person trails behind · participle present trailing behind · participle past trailed behind · past trailed behind
- transitiveTo increase or to succeed at a rate lower than (something else).
Tech stocks trailed behind the overall market today.
1 more example
In many constituencies, over 30% of the second vote went to the AfD. The CDU and SPD trailed far behind.
2025 February 25, Kristin Zeier, Gianna-Ciara Grün, “German election results explained in graphics”, in Deutsche Welle - transitiveTo follow (someone) slowly, usually surreptitiously.
Cite this entry
APA
trail behind. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/trail%20behind
MLA
“trail behind.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/trail%20behind. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “trail behind,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/trail%20behind.
Source: trail behind on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.