TRAY-ling
/ˈtɹeɪlɪŋ/
trailing is pronounced TRAY-ling (/ˈtɹeɪlɪŋ/). Trailing refers to the action of pulling along or following behind something, or the act of lingering or lingering behind in time or space. In linguistics or computing, it can describe characters or items that come after a leading element. The term is commonly used to describe a trailing edge, a trailing space, or someone who is behind others in progress or performance.
Trailing refers to the action of pulling along or following behind something, or the act of lingering or lingering behind in time or space. In linguistics or computing, it can describe characters or items that come after a leading element. The term is commonly used to describe a trailing edge, a trailing space, or someone who is behind others in progress or performance.
"The car was trailing the convoy for several miles."
"He wore a cloak with a long trailing hem that swept the floor."
"Her voice trailed off at the end of the sentence, leaving the meaning incomplete."
Pronounced /ˈtreɪ.lɪŋ/ in US and UK English, with primary stress on the first syllable: TREY-ling. Start with the /treɪ/ diphthong where the tongue glides from /t/ to /reɪ/ (like “tray”). The second syllable is a short /lɪŋ/ with a light, quick /ɪ/ and a final velar nasal /ŋ/. In connected speech, the /l/ and /ɪ/ can blend softly before the /ŋ/. Audio references: you can check Cambridge or Oxford pronunciations for native flux and listen to Forvo entries.
Common mistakes include clipping the second syllable too short, saying /ˈtræ.lɪŋ/ with a flat æ instead of the /eɪ/ in /treɪ/, and mispronouncing the final nasal as /ŋg/ or a hard ng. Another misstep is inserting an unnecessary vowel between /t/ and /r/ or weakening the initial /t/ to a d. Correction tips: practice the /treɪ/ onset as one smooth glide, ensure the /eɪ/ is a true diphthong with a clear offglide, and finish with an audible but quick /lɪŋ/ without adding extra syllables.
In US/UK, the initial /treɪ/ stays similar, but rhotic differences affect the following vowels in adjacent words; rhotic accent tends to connect more smoothly in phrases. Australian pronunciation keeps the /ɪ/ in the second syllable compact, with less reduction in unstressed vowels and a potentially more centralized /ɪ/ than American /ɪ/. The main difference is overall vowel length and voicing, while the primary stress remains on the first syllable /ˈtreɪ/. IPA guidance remains /ˈtreɪ.lɪŋ/ across regions, with minor vowel quality shifts.
Two tricky aspects: the diphthong /eɪ/ in the first syllable can be mispronounced as a plain /e/ or /ɛ/, and the final /ŋ/ must be released without adding a vowel or changing to /ŋk/. People often flatten /l/ or reduce /ɪ/ to schwa. Focus on keeping the /l/ light and the /ɪ/ as a short, clear vowel before the final /ŋ/. Practice by isolating the /treɪ/ and then attaching a crisp /lɪŋ/ to avoid slurring.
A unique feature is the stability of the /l/ as a light, medial consonant between the diphthong and the /ɪŋ/. Unlike many English words where /l/ can blur with neighboring vowels, here the /l/ remains well-defined before the /ɪŋ/. Additionally, the word is a classic example of a stressed-unstressed syllable pair, with clear primary stress on the first syllable even in rapid speech.
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US: rhoticity and smoother vowel blending; UK: can be slightly crisper with non-rhotic tendencies in careful speech; AU: vowel quality tends to be closer to American, but with a more centralized /ɪ/ in some speakers. Vowel notes: ensure /eɪ/ remains a proper diphthong, not a monophthong; /ɪ/ in the second syllable should be short but clear. IPA references: /ˈtreɪ.lɪŋ/. Focus on the first syllable diphthong and final nasal closure in all accents.
Trailing originates from the verb trail, from Old English trailian, meaning to drag or drag along, derived from Proto-Germanic *trāljanan, related to Old Norse trola, Dutch dralen, and German trödeln. The sense of “to drag or pull behind” is attested in early Middle English usage. Over time, the form trailing appeared as the present participle/adjective describing something that trails behind or follows in progress. The concept expanded metaphorically to include non-physical phenomena, such as trailing notes, trailing clues, or trailing indicators, indicating something that lags or follows in sequence. Historical usage shows frequent pairing with nouns describing movement (trailing hose, trailing edge), and in modern contexts it spans technology (trailing whitespace, trailing zeros) and narrative (trailing off). First known written attestations date to the 14th–15th centuries in English manuscripts, with broader semantic extension during the scientific and computing revolutions of the 19th–20th centuries. In contemporary usage, trailing commonly connotes continuation behind a leader, line, or standard, as well as decorative or residual elements that extend beyond a boundary.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "trailing" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "trailing"
-ing sounds
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