tunnel

noun

Definition of tunnelnext
as in cave
a passage that goes under the ground, through a hill, etc. The train goes through a tunnel in the mountain. The moles dug tunnels in the yard.

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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 tunnel To manage flooding, Tokyo built two gargantuan underground systems of tanks and tunnels. — Len Maniace, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026 In a recent museum-heist book, Maleeny had a character travel through an underground sewer tunnel to avoid the cameras above ground. — Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026 The site, measuring close to 140,000 square feet, includes some 100 rooms connected by a network of tunnels more than a half-mile long. — Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Project Iceworm envisioned constructing thousands of kilometers of tunnels beneath Greenland’s ice sheet to secretly deploy hundreds of nuclear missiles capable of surviving a Soviet first strike. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tunnel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tunnel
  1. cave
  2. cavern
  3. subway
Noun
  • Go skiing in Gudauri, trek through Tusheti, or wander in the ancient cave cities of Vardzia and Uplistsikhe.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Scientists have recovered ancient human DNA from cave walls, offering new clues about the people behind prehistoric art.
    — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of cave
Noun
  • There are also two restaurants (though neither is branded as Fouquet’s), a basketball court carved into a cavern and a private water taxi to take guests around the island.
    — Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Normally, the cavern is one of the darkest places on Earth, but today, it is lit up for maintenance, offering us a rare chance to see inside.
    — James Dinneen, Quanta Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of cavern
Noun
  • After rashly stealing a man’s cigarette lighter on the subway, Ingeborg trips while making her getaway, resulting in a tibia fracture that threatens to take her out of commission for months on end.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The video then cuts to Viva posing in front of billboards and posters, including advertisements on the subway, clothing and hair ads, an app advertisement on a truck, a Pandora jewelry billboard and numerous advertisements for clothing stores.
    — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of subway

Browse Nearby Words

tuning out
tunnel
tunnels
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tunnel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tunnel. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tunnel

Nglish: Translation of tunnel for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tunnel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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