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Meaning & use

tagalong

noun, adjective·Advancedinformal

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UK/ˈtæɡəlɒŋ/
US/ˈtæɡəlɔːŋ/

Meanings

  1. nouncountableinformal

    A person, often younger, who goes along with others, sometimes without being invited.

    Grammar: Takes a plural tagalongs and is used about people: the little tagalong.

    Patterns

    • a tagalong in something

    My little brother was the tagalong on every trip.

    The older kids did not want a tagalong at the movies.

    She didn't mind being the tagalong, as long as she got to join the group.

  2. adjectivebefore a nouninformal

    Designed or intended to be attached to, or pulled along behind, something else.

    Grammar: Placed before a noun: a tagalong trailer or tagalong bike.

    Patterns

    • a tagalong something

    He attached a tagalong bike behind his own so the child could ride.

    The tagalong trailer carried the kayaks.

    A tagalong seat lets children ride with their parents.

Word forms

pluraltagalongs

Common combinations

a little tagalong
She was a little tagalong, always following her cousins.
tagalong bike
The tagalong bike attaches behind an adult's bicycle.
unwanted tagalong
The unwanted tagalong kept asking questions.
tagalong sibling
His tagalong sibling always joined his friends.
tagalong trailer
We borrowed a tagalong trailer for the camping gear.

Synonyms and how they differ

hanger-on
Hanger-on is usually negative and suggests someone who stays near powerful people for benefit, whereas a tagalong may be harmless.
follower
Follower is a neutral word for someone who follows a leader or idea and lacks the sense of being unwanted.
shadow
Shadow, used for a person, suggests someone who follows closely everywhere, more intense than a tagalong.
third wheel
Third wheel refers to someone who accompanies a couple and feels unneeded, which is narrower than tagalong.

Opposites

leader

Word family

tag along verb
to go with someone, often without being invited
tag verb
to touch or label
tag-along adjective
alternative spelling used as an adjective
along adverb
in company with

Commonly confused: tagalong or tag along?

tagalong vs tag along

Tag along is the verb phrase, written as two words, and tagalong is the noun or adjective, though tag-along with a hyphen is also common.

Practice

What is a tagalong?

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