tunnel

noun tun·nel \ ˈtə-nᵊl \

Updated on: 13 Apr 2018

Definition of tunnel

1 a : a covered passageway; specifically : a horizontal passageway through or under an obstruction

b : a subterranean gallery (as in a mine)

c : burrow

2 : a hollow conduit or recess : tube, well

—

tunnellike

play \-nᵊl-ˌ(l)īk\ adjective

See tunnel defined for English-language learners

See tunnel defined for kids

Examples of tunnel in a Sentence

The train goes through a tunnel in the mountain.
The moles dug tunnels in the yard.

Recent Examples of tunnel from the Web

So the Tigers were forced back into the batting tunnels, which one player said was way colder than the temperature on the field.

— anthony fenech, Detroit Free Press, "Cold weather heats Detroit Tigers in 6-1 win vs. White Sox," 7 Apr. 2018
In New York City, Metropolitan Transportation Authority bridge-and-tunnel police and the State Police use license-plate readers to identify and stop vehicles whose registrations have been suspended for persistent toll violations.

— scott calvert, WSJ, "Toll Roads So Tough, Naughty Drivers Are Felons," 6 Apr. 2018
Akron's massive tunnel boring machine, the centerpiece of city's $1.4 billion sewer project known as Akron Waterways Renewed!, is digging the Ohio Canal Intercept Tunnel (OCIT) through downtown.

— jennifer conn, akron reporter, cleveland.com, "Where's Rosie? Akron's tunnel-boring machine moves sewer project steadily ahead (photos)," 3 Apr. 2018
The event began with the special needs students and volunteers running through the 'Code Red' football helmet tunnel that the football players run through before a game.

— elliott lapin, Houston Chronicle, "Special needs students share in the joy of sports at The Colleen Walker Relays," 28 Mar. 2018
The Portal North Bridge, like the existing Hudson tunnels, is more than 100 years old and was never meant to handle today’s commuter traffic.

— henry goldman, Bloomberg.com, "Gateway Overseers Say New NYC Rail-Commuter Tunnel Is Inevitable," 16 Mar. 2018
The path traveled through a tunnel of brush on its way south of town, earning its fanciful nickname.

— OregonLive.com, "Tumble into the 'Alice in Wonderland' trails around Ashland," 11 Mar. 2018
Both options have complications; the 60 route runs through a Superfund site, while the southern route may require a nearly three-mile long subway tunnel, a very expensive addition.

— neal broverman, Los Angeles Magazine, "Can Metro Really Complete These 4 Rail Projects Before the ’28 Olympics?," 2 Mar. 2018
As Alister Doyle reports for Reuters, the upgrades, which will cost around $13 million, will include construction of a concrete access tunnel, a service building for emergency power and refrigerating units and other electrical equipment.

— julissa treviño, Smithsonian, "Global Seed Vault Gets Its Millionth Donation and a $13 Million Update," 1 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tunnel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of tunnel

Middle English tonel cask, tun, from Anglo-French, from tone tun

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1508

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

tunnel

verb

Definition of tunnel

tunneled or tunnelled; tunneling or tunnelling \ˈtən-liŋ, ˈtə-nᵊl-iŋ\

intransitive verb

1 : to make or use a tunnel

2 physics : to pass through a potential barrier

electrons tunneling through an insulator between semiconductors

transitive verb

: to make a tunnel or similar opening through or under; also : to make (one's way) by or as if by making a tunnel

—

tunneler

play \ˈtən-lər, ˈtə-nᵊl-ər\ noun

See tunnel defined for English-language learners

Examples of tunnel in a Sentence

Workers are tunneling through the hill.
Insects had tunneled into the tree.

Recent Examples of tunnel from the Web

The drug lord escaped from prison in 2015 after a crew tunneled to retrieve him.

— jeremy bagott, WSJ, "Drug Cartels Could Defeat Trump’s Wall," 27 July 2017
The streams tunneling along the ice were tinted a mint blue, a color that results from the sun hitting the water's limestone silt.

— debbi snook, cleveland.com, "Canadian Rockies a towering visual treat by foot -- or bus (photos, video)," 18 Mar. 2018
While Tesla CEO Elon Musk may be known as a visionary for dreaming of rockets to Mars or tunneling under cities, his latest idea is downright retro.

— zlati meyer, USA TODAY, "Tesla's latest venture? A drive-in restaurant -- may even with carhops," 15 Mar. 2018
It is designed to ensure that Musk — a serial entrepreneur who also leads rocket maker SpaceX and tunneling startup the Boring Co. — doesn’t leave Tesla, which has come to rely on him as its public face.

— david r. baker, San Francisco Chronicle, "Elon Musk’s whopping new pay package," 21 Mar. 2018
But routing, setting aside time for community meetings and environmental clearances, as well as tunneling the darn thing could take well over a decade.

— neal broverman, Los Angeles Magazine, "Can Metro Really Complete These 4 Rail Projects Before the ’28 Olympics?," 2 Mar. 2018
The Explorium Brewpub wants to tunnel its way to your heart with decadent stouts and porters, part of A Special Valentine Behind the Brew at Brew City MKE, 275 W. Wisconsin Ave.

— kathy flanigan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Beer Here: Combine culture, craft beer at Next Act Theater — MobCraft brings brew," 6 Feb. 2018
Police said a Reading man tunneled through a wall and stole a cell phone, cell phone charger and about $5 in change from a laundromat.

— sarah brookbank, Cincinnati.com, "Crime Notebook: Police say man tunneled through laundromat's wall to steal $5 in quarters," 8 Jan. 2018
But under our feet, there’s still plenty of space, and large boring machines tunneling under major metropolises, already being put into practice by Elon Musk, will make infrastructure build-out underground relatively fast and cost-effective.

— matt blitz, Popular Mechanics, "The Future Machines of the Year 2100," 16 Feb. 2018

First Known Use of tunnel

1795

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

TUNNEL Defined for English Language Learners

tunnel

noun

Definition of tunnel for English Language Learners

: a passage that goes under the ground, through a hill, etc.

tunnel

verb

Definition of tunnel for English Language Learners

: to make a tunnel

TUNNEL Defined for Kids

tunnel

noun tun·nel \ ˈtə-nᵊl \

Definition of tunnel for Students

: a passage under the ground

tunnel

verb

Definition of tunnel for Students

tunneled or tunnelled; tunneling or tunnelling

: to make a passage under the ground

Medical Dictionary

tunnel

noun tun·nel \ ˈtən-ᵊl \

medical Definition of tunnel

: a bodily channel — see carpal tunnel

Learn More about tunnel

See words that rhyme with tunnel Spanish Central: Translation of tunnel Nglish: Translation of tunnel for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of tunnel for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tunnel

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tunnel

Definition of tunnel

tunnellike

Examples of tunnel in a Sentence

Recent Examples of tunnel from the Web

Origin and Etymology of tunnel

tunnel

Definition of tunnel

tunneler

Examples of tunnel in a Sentence

Recent Examples of tunnel from the Web

First Known Use of tunnel

Phrases Related to TUNNEL

Related Phrases

TUNNEL Defined for English Language Learners

tunnel

Definition of tunnel for English Language Learners

tunnel

Definition of tunnel for English Language Learners

TUNNEL Defined for Kids

tunnel

Definition of tunnel for Students

tunnel

Definition of tunnel for Students

Medical Dictionary

tunnel

medical Definition of tunnel

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