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 adventure begins as the two are all smiles while floating on individual tubes next to each other. — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026 For example, his house has tubes for cats to crawl through and hiding boxes. — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026 In particular, those who use breathing tubes, feeding tubes, IVs or catheters are more vulnerable, as are those who are hospitalized frequently or for long periods of time. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026 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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tubes
  1. pipes
  2. televisions
  3. conduits
  4. channels
Noun
  • Seventy million barrels is the strict physical minimum needed at the top of the caverns to keep the extraction pipes safely submerged in oil rather than water, said Siddharth Misra, a petroleum engineering professor at Texas A&M University.
    — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The main issues with Puerto Rico’s water infrastructure are the aging pipes that transport the resource across the island to residences and businesses and a lack of funding allocated to restoration projects.
    — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 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
  • The century-old network of underground conduits, which houses electrical, telecommunications and fiber-optic cables, has been operated by BGE for decades under a contract that expires at the end of 2026.
    — Bryant Reed, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Relationships are conduits for timely information sharing, mutual aid and collective action.
    — Fiona Doherty, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of conduits
Noun
  • In the process, the river’s water splits into a different kind of network of channels, which shift locations constantly as sediments build up and wash away.
    — Natalie Wolchover, Quanta Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The resulting behemoth would control nearly one-third of theatrical motion picture distribution and nearly one-third of basic cable channels, including 50 of the most popular cable channels.
    — Rob Bonta, Deadline, 10 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 17 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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
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
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All