variants
also syphoning
1
as in draining
to remove (liquid) gradually or completely
I let the stranded motorist siphon some of my gas so he could be on his way
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of siphoning
Bell then takes his own clear straw and puts it in Peck’s mouth, syphoning off coffee as Peck looks horrified.
—
Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
Then, in mid-2024, seemingly out of the blue, the 59-year-old producer was accused — first in a civil suit and then in a federal indictment in the Central District Court of California — of siphoning funds from one of his own shows for personal use.
—Steve Belanger, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025
Since Amazon first rolled out 30-second spots on Prime Video in January 2024, the streaming platform has slowly begun siphoning ad revenue from the linear TV market.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 2025
On a larger level, the tech giant’s Gemini AI platform has been mobilized as a way of siphoning off search traffic and keeping users on Google.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2025
Without an influx of new students from outside of North Lawndale, growing the three schools could mean siphoning students from other schools with their own enrollment woes.
—Mila Koumpilova, ProPublica, 9 Sep. 2025
The proposal that Republican lawmakers advanced on Thursday splits Kansas City on either side of Troost Avenue, siphoning residents to the west into Missouri’s 4th Congressional District.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025
After tragedies or natural disasters, fake nonprofits or misleading crowdfunding campaigns pop up online, siphoning donations away from legitimate causes.
—Jason Phillips, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
To service it, the government alleged, Mizuhara himself became a criminal, taking control of one of Ohtani’s bank accounts and siphoning almost $17 million from the superstar.
—David Amsden, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025
Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
Then, in mid-2024, seemingly out of the blue, the 59-year-old producer was accused — first in a civil suit and then in a federal indictment in the Central District Court of California — of siphoning funds from one of his own shows for personal use.
—Steve Belanger, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025
Since Amazon first rolled out 30-second spots on Prime Video in January 2024, the streaming platform has slowly begun siphoning ad revenue from the linear TV market.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 2025
On a larger level, the tech giant’s Gemini AI platform has been mobilized as a way of siphoning off search traffic and keeping users on Google.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2025
Without an influx of new students from outside of North Lawndale, growing the three schools could mean siphoning students from other schools with their own enrollment woes.
—Mila Koumpilova, ProPublica, 9 Sep. 2025
The proposal that Republican lawmakers advanced on Thursday splits Kansas City on either side of Troost Avenue, siphoning residents to the west into Missouri’s 4th Congressional District.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025
After tragedies or natural disasters, fake nonprofits or misleading crowdfunding campaigns pop up online, siphoning donations away from legitimate causes.
—Jason Phillips, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
To service it, the government alleged, Mizuhara himself became a criminal, taking control of one of Ohtani’s bank accounts and siphoning almost $17 million from the superstar.
—David Amsden, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for siphoning
Verb
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Extremely draining and hard day, hard for everyone involved, hard for everyone who loved Marshawn.—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Make sure the soil is well-draining and rich in organic matter for best results.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Starting on Burlington’s waterfront, this 13-mile route traces the shoreline before funneling riders onto the Colchester Causeway, a narrow, gravel path that stretches across Lake Champlain.—
Erin Gifford,
Outside,
30 Oct. 2025
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Vance Joseph builds his game plan around the reigning defensive player of the year, funneling work his way for quarterbacks who would rather eat tinfoil than throw in Surtain’s direction.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Your Heart Gets Healthier Exercise strengthens the heart muscle, improving its efficiency in pumping blood throughout the body.—
Sarah Jividen,
Verywell Health,
4 Nov. 2025
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For years, major medical organizations like the American Heart Association have recommended aiming to get at least 150 minutes of heart-pumping physical activity a week.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Christo and Jeanne-Claude disregarded all threats of legal action, directing Running Fence to complete its predestined voyage into the sea.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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Ramsay told Vulture that her directing style on the movie was born of wanting the actors to feel free on the set.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The United States has imposed sanctions on eight North Korean individuals and two entities, accusing them of laundering funds from cybercrime and fraud and channeling them into the North’s nuclear weapons program.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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And yet here was Henley, in the heart of the NFL, taking his grief and channeling it into work.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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China last tested its ICBM force in September 2024—its first since the 1980s—when a DF-31AG missile carrying a dummy warhead was fired toward international waters in the South Pacific, within the region's nuclear-free zone, according to a Newsweek map.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, continued carrying the 29 Starlink satellites toward LEO, where were deployed on schedule about an hour into flight.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The Senate is, as of Monday night stateside, conducting a series of votes for an agreement to reopen the government, though any deal would also have to be passed by the House of Representatives.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
11 Nov. 2025
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The courthouse is named after Osvaldo Soto, a Cuban-American lawyer who led the fight in the 1980s to repeal the county’s English-only ordinance that, among other things, stopped clerks from conducting courthouse weddings in Spanish.—
Douglas Hanks
November 10,
Miami Herald,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The finished product is similar in flavor to cheese straws, just a little more hearty—and without all the fussing over mixing and piping pastry dough.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Oct. 2025
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Let’s Bring Back Fondue Night When fondue pots were at the height of their popularity in the 1970s, everyone would gather around the table in their house clogs and bell bottoms with skewers ready to dip into melty cheese, smooth chocolate, and even piping-hot oil (for cooking small hunks of meat).—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Siphoning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/siphoning. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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