1
a
: a covered passageway
specifically
: a horizontal passageway through or under an obstruction
b
: a subterranean gallery (as in a mine)
c
: burrow
tunneled or tunnelled; tunneling or tunnelling
ˈtən-liŋ 
ˈtə-nᵊl-iŋ
1
: to make or use a tunnel
2
physics
: to pass through a potential barrier
electrons tunneling through an insulator between semiconductors
: to make a tunnel or similar opening through or under
also
: to make (one's way) by or as if by making a tunnel
Examples of tunnel in a Sentence
Noun
The train goes through a tunnel in the mountain.
The moles dug tunnels in the yard.
Verb
Workers are tunneling through the hill.
Insects had tunneled into the tree.
Recent Examples on the Web
Elvia Limón, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2023
Related:Richardson man sentenced for role in Jan. 6 Capitol riot, social media threats
Anderson then joined a mob of other rioters who physically confronted police officers in a Capitol tunnel, authorities said, where some of the day’s worst violence occurred.
—Michael Williams, Dallas News, 30 Aug. 2023
Renters are granted access to the batting tunnel, as well as helmets, balls and bats for those who want to practice their swing.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Aug. 2023
Flooding was recorded all over Detroit streets and in the tunnels leading to Detroit Metropolitan Airport, AP reported.
—Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 26 Aug. 2023
Overnight rain had turned parts of Detroit Metro Airport into an island, flooding the tunnels that lead to and from the McNamara Terminal, which Delta uses as a hub.
—Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 25 Aug. 2023
The tunnels, built by Italian soldiers in WWII, are fully restored and go on for more than half a mile along the mountain’s edge.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 23 Aug. 2023
The show's prize money—which jumped up to $750,000 in Season 23—make for a worthy light at the end of the tunnel.
—Evan Romano, Men's Health, 17 Aug. 2023
Philippines defender Sofia Harrison stood in the tunnel of Wellington Stadium before taking on host New Zealand in the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
—Jacob Steinberg, Baltimore Sun, 15 Aug. 2023
Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 23 Aug. 2023
Dutch trains are being disrupted by tunneling badgers, and windy outdoor conditions were worsening bacterial contamination on chicken farms in the American West.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 3 May 2023
Another thing that can shorten the life of your candle is tunneling.
—Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 17 May 2023
The 14 court-level options include four courtside cabanas positioned directly behind the baseline seats where Ballmer sits (opposite The Wall) and include privacy glass lining the player tunnel on the backside.
—Tim Newcomb, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2023
Creator Graham Yost’s embrace of genre in Justified freed him and his writers to tunnel into world-building, to paint an elaborately and vividly detailed portrait of a place: Harlan County, Kentucky, was a community exploited and ravaged by coal companies, by drug dealers, by neglect.
—Phillip MacIak, The New Republic, 28 July 2023
Designers had initially hoped to tunnel beneath the rail line, but UP refused permission, the resultant bridge adding well over $15 million to the project cost, according to Ellerman.
—Mark Lamster, Dallas News, 29 June 2023
Two inmates allegedly used tools to tunnel their way out of a jail in Newport News, Virginia.
—Christopher Brito, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2023
More than a century ago, in the summer of 1916, a pocket of natural gas exploded on a crew working deep beneath Lake Erie to tunnel in fresh water from beyond Cleveland’s polluted shore.
—Ethan Karp, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2023
See More
Noun
On Aug, 31, 1997, Princess Diana and her companion, Dodi Fayed, died after their car crashed in a Paris tunnel, apparently while being chased by photographers.
—Elvia Limón, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2023
Related:Richardson man sentenced for role in Jan. 6 Capitol riot, social media threats
Anderson then joined a mob of other rioters who physically confronted police officers in a Capitol tunnel, authorities said, where some of the day’s worst violence occurred.
—Michael Williams, Dallas News, 30 Aug. 2023
Renters are granted access to the batting tunnel, as well as helmets, balls and bats for those who want to practice their swing.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Aug. 2023
Flooding was recorded all over Detroit streets and in the tunnels leading to Detroit Metropolitan Airport, AP reported.
—Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 26 Aug. 2023
Overnight rain had turned parts of Detroit Metro Airport into an island, flooding the tunnels that lead to and from the McNamara Terminal, which Delta uses as a hub.
—Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 25 Aug. 2023
The tunnels, built by Italian soldiers in WWII, are fully restored and go on for more than half a mile along the mountain’s edge.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 23 Aug. 2023
The show's prize money—which jumped up to $750,000 in Season 23—make for a worthy light at the end of the tunnel.
—Evan Romano, Men's Health, 17 Aug. 2023
Philippines defender Sofia Harrison stood in the tunnel of Wellington Stadium before taking on host New Zealand in the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
—Jacob Steinberg, Baltimore Sun, 15 Aug. 2023
Verb
Because electricity can exist in a vacuum, the sound can actually jump—or tunnel—from one crystal to another.
—Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 23 Aug. 2023
Dutch trains are being disrupted by tunneling badgers, and windy outdoor conditions were worsening bacterial contamination on chicken farms in the American West.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 3 May 2023
Another thing that can shorten the life of your candle is tunneling.
—Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 17 May 2023
The 14 court-level options include four courtside cabanas positioned directly behind the baseline seats where Ballmer sits (opposite The Wall) and include privacy glass lining the player tunnel on the backside.
—Tim Newcomb, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2023
Creator Graham Yost’s embrace of genre in Justified freed him and his writers to tunnel into world-building, to paint an elaborately and vividly detailed portrait of a place: Harlan County, Kentucky, was a community exploited and ravaged by coal companies, by drug dealers, by neglect.
—Phillip MacIak, The New Republic, 28 July 2023
Designers had initially hoped to tunnel beneath the rail line, but UP refused permission, the resultant bridge adding well over $15 million to the project cost, according to Ellerman.
—Mark Lamster, Dallas News, 29 June 2023
Two inmates allegedly used tools to tunnel their way out of a jail in Newport News, Virginia.
—Christopher Brito, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2023
More than a century ago, in the summer of 1916, a pocket of natural gas exploded on a crew working deep beneath Lake Erie to tunnel in fresh water from beyond Cleveland’s polluted shore.
—Ethan Karp, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tunnel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English tonel cask, tun, from Anglo-French, from tone tun
First Known Use
Noun
1508, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Verb
1795, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Phrases Containing tunnel
Dictionary Entries Near tunnel
Cite this Entry
“Tunnel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tunnel. Accessed 24 Sep. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
tunnel
2 of 2 verb
tunneled or tunnelled; tunneling or tunnelling
ˈtən-liŋ,
-ᵊl-iŋ
: to make a tunnel
Medical Definition
tunnel
noun
tun·nel
ˈtən-ᵊl
: a bodily channel see carpal tunnel
More from Merriam-Webster on tunnel
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for tunnel
Nglish: Translation of tunnel for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of tunnel for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tunnel
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share