as in caves
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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Recent Examples of tunnels
Security cameras recorded at least three separate times that groups of people entered or exited sewer tunnels via maintenance holes on streets in Brooklyn and Queens at night.
—
Natalia Mittelstadt, Baltimore Sun, 4 June 2026
Police say that there is no threat to the public, and that the sewer systems have been investigated after the unknown individuals spent hours in the underground tunnels.
—Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 4 June 2026
The governor, the mayor, police and transit officials have plans to protect critical infrastructure targets, including the George Washington Bridge, the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, and all the East River crossings.
—Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 4 June 2026
Heavy rainfall days earlier would have mostly cleared the system, and venturing into the tunnels in the early morning hours would mean waste flow would be noticeably less than during peak daytime hours.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
Have your child create a system of roads or build working tunnels from natural materials.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 4 June 2026
By the time the early hours of June 20 roll around, there’s a non-zero chance that New Yorkers will be erecting a statue of Karl-Anthony Towns in Union Square and an army of Timothée Chalamet devotees will have seized control of the city’s 789 bridges and tunnels.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 June 2026
Gardiner noted that Russian forces could respond by extending overhead netting onto vulnerable highways, similar to the anti-drone tunnels already appearing on roads closer to the front.
—David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Video from the mission showed rescuers squeeze through small, claustrophobic tunnels inside the cave.
—Nick Duffy, NBC news, 29 May 2026
Natalia Mittelstadt, Baltimore Sun, 4 June 2026
Police say that there is no threat to the public, and that the sewer systems have been investigated after the unknown individuals spent hours in the underground tunnels.
—Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 4 June 2026
The governor, the mayor, police and transit officials have plans to protect critical infrastructure targets, including the George Washington Bridge, the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, and all the East River crossings.
—Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 4 June 2026
Heavy rainfall days earlier would have mostly cleared the system, and venturing into the tunnels in the early morning hours would mean waste flow would be noticeably less than during peak daytime hours.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
Have your child create a system of roads or build working tunnels from natural materials.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 4 June 2026
By the time the early hours of June 20 roll around, there’s a non-zero chance that New Yorkers will be erecting a statue of Karl-Anthony Towns in Union Square and an army of Timothée Chalamet devotees will have seized control of the city’s 789 bridges and tunnels.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 June 2026
Gardiner noted that Russian forces could respond by extending overhead netting onto vulnerable highways, similar to the anti-drone tunnels already appearing on roads closer to the front.
—David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Video from the mission showed rescuers squeeze through small, claustrophobic tunnels inside the cave.
—Nick Duffy, NBC news, 29 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tunnels
Noun
-
Additionally, the Gri Gri Lagoon’s one-of-a-kind boat tour through natural mangrove tunnels lets visitors admire the area's biodiversity before reaching impressive cliffs and hidden caves in the sea.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
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Across Colorado and beyond, a new wave of offbeat adventures is answering that call — from sleeping in treetops and caves to hiking alongside llamas and rolling your bed out under the night sky for al fresco stargazing snuggled under the covers.—
Brittany Anas,
Denver Post,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Travelers can also enjoy nearby cenotes, natural swimming holes often found inside limestone caverns, and explore the Yucatán region’s iconic Mayan ruins.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
2 June 2026
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Water is a constant threat The men became trapped during an expedition to find gold within the cramped and muddy underground caverns.—
Kocha Olarn,
CNN Money,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tunnels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tunnels. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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