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
In New York, staged auto accidents, medical mills, and a lax threshold for awarding payouts are siphoning money from drivers, municipalities, and the MTA alike.
—
Ike Brannon, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2026
Stefan Pildes, 50, is facing federal wire fraud charges that accuse him of siphoning hundreds of thousands of dollars in charitable funds for his own use, including for concert tickets and vacations.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026
Shamefully, even as the Evanston parish was asking its members to dig deeper, Anderson was siphoning some of the church funds for his own personal needs.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Orbán began siphoning public contracts, largely financed by the European Union, into companies owned by loyalists.
—Justin Spike, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
The concern about competing became amplified with regional sports networks dissolving, siphoning a source of revenue for a Rockies team that is already heavily dependent on attendance.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 10 Apr. 2026
To be fair, at Kohl’s, Gass was forced into four battles with activist shareholders in her final years, siphoning her attention and energy.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
The only concern could be Hamilton syphoning support away from the league’s Toronto franchise.
—Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Many of Lamont’s fellow Democrats in the legislature’s majority argue Connecticut’s budget caps are too strict, siphoning too much money from core programs.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026
Ike Brannon, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2026
Stefan Pildes, 50, is facing federal wire fraud charges that accuse him of siphoning hundreds of thousands of dollars in charitable funds for his own use, including for concert tickets and vacations.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026
Shamefully, even as the Evanston parish was asking its members to dig deeper, Anderson was siphoning some of the church funds for his own personal needs.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Orbán began siphoning public contracts, largely financed by the European Union, into companies owned by loyalists.
—Justin Spike, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
The concern about competing became amplified with regional sports networks dissolving, siphoning a source of revenue for a Rockies team that is already heavily dependent on attendance.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 10 Apr. 2026
To be fair, at Kohl’s, Gass was forced into four battles with activist shareholders in her final years, siphoning her attention and energy.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
The only concern could be Hamilton syphoning support away from the league’s Toronto franchise.
—Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Many of Lamont’s fellow Democrats in the legislature’s majority argue Connecticut’s budget caps are too strict, siphoning too much money from core programs.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for siphoning
Verb
-
The geopolitical conflict in the Middle East is actively draining the American wallet.—
Katica Roy,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The perfusionist questioned the decision to stop disinfecting the units, saying his concern with draining was that if the tanks weren’t completely dry and still contained moisture, bacteria could form.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Duffy has also put his money where his mouth is, funneling $1 million from his mothballed campaign account dating back to his time in Congress to a super PAC supporting his son-in-law’s congressional campaign, according to the Badger Report, a nonprofit investigative outlet based in Wisconsin.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Apr. 2026
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The system will operate from June 11 until July 11, funnelling fans from 15 metro locations downtown.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The pumping plant draws its power from California’s main electric grid, and that will continue.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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State officials said when the equipment is working at full capacity, the hydroelectric turbines can move nearly one-third more water through the dam than previously, pumping an additional 2,000 cubic feet per second.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The agency did not directly address whether the transition could affect service continuity, instead directing questions about services to the county, which will take over many programs.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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This can be done by directing water into soil or gravel, and creating a slight slope or grade away from your home flat surfaces.—
Nishaa Sharma,
The Spruce,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In musical scenes, however, Jaafar delivers singing and dancing that is startlingly persuasive, passing through impersonation into something like channelling.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
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Nozicka also examines the implications of channeling personal trauma into art; even before Sebastian’s death, the mother-daughter rift was already in progress after Xochi based her novel on their family’s painful past.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Notably, these shakedown attempts come more than 15 years after Michael’s death, thus carrying no risk of being sued for defamation.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
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Asia-to-Europe or intra-Asia trade lanes often go through the strait, and vessels carrying cargo from other apparel manufacturing countries including Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Myanmar are likely using the passage.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The method for conducting this test is as follows.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
21 Apr. 2026
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Having the right grip on an object could be the difference between conducting a routine procedure without a hitch or having a piece of that experiment slip away and into something fragile aboard a spacecraft.—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Allow mixture to soften to piping consistency.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
23 Mar. 2026
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Other proposals floated over the decades included towing icebergs from Alaska or Antarctica, diverting rivers from the rainy Pacific Northwest or even piping Great Lakes water thousands of miles west across the Continental Divide.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Siphoning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/siphoning. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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