tubes

noun

plural of tube
1
as in pipes
a long hollow cylinder for carrying a substance (as a liquid or gas) watched the liquid move through the tube between the flasks and recorded the movement in his chemistry notebook

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in TVs
an electronic device with a screen and speakers that reproduces images and sound we plan to relax and spend some time in front of the tube tonight

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 tubes The company estimates the tablets have kept millions of tubes out of landfill. — Anne Makovec, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026 Breathing tubes were removed from Annelise on Monday, her grandfather Steve Camp posted online. — ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026 According to the Mayo Clinic, the disease begins in the slender tubes that carry digestive bile and is associated with symptoms like abdominal pain, fatigue, fever and night sweats. — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026 All samples were photographed and cleaned of debris, placed in tubes, and stored in a freezer for DNA extraction and analysis. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 6 Aug. 2026 Major risk factors include the use of breathing and feeding tubes and catheters, which are medical interventions used on people who are already in poor health. — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026 Subterranean termites may enter through cracks in a foundation or travel through mud tubes. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2026 But the images of young Moroccans marching up the shoreline, ditching inflatable tubes along their way, have forced Europe into a debate over how countries can manage migration humanely while maintaining control of their borders. — Colette Davidson, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Aug. 2026 The rush was captured in images and videos that showed migrants swimming or floating on tubes from the Moroccan side Thursday and others breaking through a gate on land and running into the Spanish city. — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 31 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tubes
  1. pipes
  2. televisions
  3. conduits
  4. channels
Noun
  • According to Los Alamos, the ZiaCore project also demonstrates how advanced reactor technologies can leverage the laboratory’s expertise in heat pipes, reactor materials, fabrication, and criticality testing.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 31 July 2026
  • Even more beguiling was a barrel organ crafted with flutes instead of pipes.
    — Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of pipes
Noun
  • External monitors or televisions can be connected for sharing visuals with clients or colleagues.
    — Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • As book adaptations continue to hit cinemas and televisions alike, these page-to-screen collaborations serve a vital role for the nonprofit, helping to fund their philanthropic work and raise money to bring books to communities in need.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of televisions
Noun
  • Securities regulators are cracking down on Hong Kong brokerages used as conduits by wealthy individuals to move funds offshore.
    — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 21 July 2026
  • Federal authorities routinely target South Florida remittance companies that operate as conduits for unlawful money transfers, especially for drug traffickers, because many are suspected of evading bank-reporting requirements.
    — Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026
Definition of conduits
Noun
  • A week later and there’s been a whole investigation into the YouTuber and author for use of generative AI in his videos, writing, and research across multiple YouTube channels and books.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Rendered in a tomato color palette, the retro motif gets a fresh update that channels ‘60s charm with a decidedly summer-ready twist.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of channels

Browse Nearby Words

tubercles
tubes
tubs
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tubes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tubes. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on tubes

Nglish: Translation of tubes for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of anecdote

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All