tunnel

1 of 2

noun

tun·​nel ˈtə-nᵊl 

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

ˈtə-nᵊl-ˌ(l)īk 

adjective

tunnel

2 of 2

verb

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

ˈtən-lər, 

ˈtə-nᵊl-ər 

noun

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

Noun

The hotel’s signature lush landscaping comes by way of overgrown grasses, flowering bushes, citrus trees, 225 towering palms, an herb garden, and a tunnel of hedges (all kept up by a full-time staff of eight gardeners), meant to give the grounds a South-of-France feel. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Feb. 2026

There are more than 150 miles of tunnels across nine underground levels, and guests are encouraged to lick the walls. —Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026

Verb

One, spearheaded by the construction-giant ACS Infrastructure Development and autonomous-transit company Glydways, warned that tunneling in Central Florida could lead to delays, cost overruns and other issues. —Skyler Swisher, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026

Just as much an investigator as a memoirist, Nevils attempts to tunnel through the lurid details and the #MeToo boilerplate and unearth something much knottier. —Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026

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

• a light at the end of the tunnel
• carpal tunnel syndrome
• high tunnel
• tunnel vision
• wind tunnel

Rhymes for tunnel

• bunnell
• funnel
• multifunctional

Kids Definition

tunnel

1 of 2 noun

tun·​nel ˈtən-ᵊl 

: a passage under the ground

tunnellike

-ᵊl-ˌ(l)īk 

adjective

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