1
: any of various usually cylindrical structures or devices: such as
a
: a hollow elongated cylinder
especially
: one to convey fluids
b
: a soft tubular container whose contents (such as toothpaste) can be removed by squeezing
c(1)
: tunnel
(2)
British
: subway sense b
d
: the basically cylindrical section between the mouthpiece and bell that is the fundamental part of a wind instrument
2
a
: a slender channel (such as a fallopian tube or a pollen tube) within a plant or animal body : duct
b
: the narrow basal portion of a corolla with united petals or a calyx with united sepals
3
4
a
: electron tube
especially
: vacuum tube
b
: cathode-ray tube
especially
: a television picture tube
c
5
: an article of clothing shaped like a tube
a tube top
tube socks
Examples of tube in a Sentence
She was breathing oxygen through a tube.
watched the liquid move through the tube between the flasks and recorded the movement in his chemistry notebook
Recent Examples on the Web
Citing satellite imagery, the Federation of American Scientists' Nuclear Information Project said both the and the are equipped with four missile tubes, while the , which is longer than its predecessors, has eight missile tubes.
—
Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025
The manufacturer makes packaging such as sticks, jars, vials, spouts, bottles and tubes for small and mid-size brands in the personal care, household, and food and beverage sectors.
—Desiree Mathurin
december 3, Charlotte Observer, 3 Dec. 2025
The hyperloop, a revolutionary concept for near-silent, ultra-fast travel inside low-pressure tubes, has long been hailed as the future of high-speed transportation.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 3 Dec. 2025
From April through June 2025, fewer than 10% of nursing homes had long-stay residents breathing with the assistance of invasive mechanical ventilators, which deliver air through a tube down the airway or via a tracheostomy, the analysis found.
—Jordan Rau, NPR, 29 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tube
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025
The manufacturer makes packaging such as sticks, jars, vials, spouts, bottles and tubes for small and mid-size brands in the personal care, household, and food and beverage sectors.
—Desiree Mathurin
december 3, Charlotte Observer, 3 Dec. 2025
The hyperloop, a revolutionary concept for near-silent, ultra-fast travel inside low-pressure tubes, has long been hailed as the future of high-speed transportation.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 3 Dec. 2025
From April through June 2025, fewer than 10% of nursing homes had long-stay residents breathing with the assistance of invasive mechanical ventilators, which deliver air through a tube down the airway or via a tracheostomy, the analysis found.
—Jordan Rau, NPR, 29 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tube
Cite this Entry
“Tube.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tube. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tube
noun1
a
: a slender channel within a plant or animal body : duct
b
: a long hollow cylinder
especially
: one to carry fluids
c
: the part of a wind instrument that connects the mouthpiece with the open end
2
: a soft container shaped something like a tube whose contents (as toothpaste or glue) can be removed by squeezing
3
4
6
: an article of clothing shaped like a tube
tube socks
Medical Definition
tube
1 of 2 noun1
: a slender channel within a plant or animal body : duct see bronchial tube, eustachian tube, fallopian tube
2
a
: an often complex piece of laboratory or technical apparatus usually of glass and commonly serving to isolate or convey a product of reaction
a distillation tube
b
3
: a soft tubular container whose contents (as toothpaste) can be dispensed by squeezing
4
: a hollow cylindrical device (as a cannula) used for insertion into bodily passages or hollow organs for removal or injection of materials
tube
2 of 2 transitive verb
tubed; tubing
: to furnish with, enclose in, or pass through a tube
the patient is then anesthetized … and tubed—Anesthesia Digest
Anesthesia DigestLove words? Need even more definitions?
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