siphoning

variants also syphoning
present participle of siphon
1
2
as in funneling
to cause to move to a central point or along a restricted pathway investigators discovered that the so-called charitable organization was siphoning funds for personal use

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of siphoning Castro-Arroyo was on probation after serving five years in prison for a 2014 gas-station explosion caused by his siphoning fuel. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026 The Ventura County Sheriff's Office arrested four men who allegedly drove around siphoning hundreds of gallons of diesel fuel from semi-trucks over the past few months. — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026 The fats and oils inside the tank did not physically change when thieves began siphoning them out. — Edward D. Melillo, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026 The couple were weighing their options last year when life began siphoning off their savings. — Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026 Brian Fallon had been siphoning this not just from Bruce though. — Brendan Menapace, SPIN, 9 Sep. 2026 Some industry observers, though, have sounded an alarm that increasingly high prices for superstar tours which are guaranteed instant sellouts may be siphoning off consumer dollars from mid-level acts, whose ticket prices are also going up. — Chris Willman, Variety, 25 July 2026 And with a handful of film distributors siphoning a greater portion of box office revenue, the states argue that theaters will likely be forced to raise ticket prices and slash investments for larger screens, luxury seating and concessions. — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026 Advertisement But the recent surge of new groups has confused CEOs, donors, and other key constituencies by pursuing often wildly divergent messages and contradictory agendas, inadvertently establishing circular firing squads, undermining unity, and siphoning resources from credible expert voices. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 28 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for siphoning
Verb
  • The most famous killing up to that point — of Janet Leigh in Psycho — showed nothing more than a modest pool of black-and-white blood draining in a bathtub.
    — Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Irvine Lake began draining this morning ahead of the El Niño and to upgrade the 93-year-old reservoir.
    — Rina Nakano, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • At the same time, the Big Three have been aggressive in funneling cash to Wall Street investors through dividends and stock buybacks.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The aim was to search for ties to terrorism; the government ended up funnelling thousands of Muslims into deportation proceedings on mostly minor visa infractions.
    — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • An April 9 strike on a pumping station cut throughput by about 700,000 barrels a day before Saudi Arabia restored full capacity days later.
    — Steven John, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • In a city known for fast, adrenaline-pumping vacations, the Scenic Boat Tour invites visitors to slow down and experience Orlando in a totally different light.
    — Amber Love Bond, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The development is an early step toward aircraft that could operate without pilots onboard or continuously directing their movements from the ground.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Karson, who started out as an actor, graduated from Cal State Northridge and began his directing career on commercials and documentaries in Australia.
    — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The two looks also mark a departure from the vintage-heavy wardrobe Roach has been assembling for Kardashian, which has included some archival pulls from Saint Laurent and Elizabeth Taylor-channelling Balenciaga.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 28 Oct. 2026
  • People describe it as a communion with spirits and noncorporeal entities via chatbot—a kind of scrying, a staring into a digital mirror that stares back, likened by turns to channeling, séance, revelation.
    — Sam Kestenbaum, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Different animal species have their own flea species, so rats and plague-carrying fleas traveled together.
    — Faye Flam, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2026
  • That supplier could be seen in a video carrying a bag, which prosecutors say contained a kilo of cocaine.
    — Jennifer Borrasso, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Testing these factors virtually can help engineers identify potential problems before conducting physical trials on the factory floor.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Along with the prospect of ICE agents conducting immigration enforcement, election officials have also expressed concern that the federal government might try other ways to disrupt polling places, citing voter fraud allegations as a premise.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 28 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Riyadh has brought oil exports close to prewar levels by piping crude to the Red Sea and sending tankers through Hormuz, despite Iranian threats.
    — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Lucid offers a couple of relaxation videos that span both screens, while also piping in atmospheric audio to transport you to the beach or lakeside.
    — Tyler Hayes, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Siphoning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/siphoning. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster