1
a
: a covered passageway
specifically
: a horizontal passageway through or under an obstruction
b
: a subterranean gallery (as in a mine)
c
: burrow
tunneled or tunnelled; tunneling or tunnelling
ˈtən-liŋ,
ˈtə-nᵊl-iŋ
1
: to make or use a tunnel
2
physics
: to pass through a potential barrier
electrons tunneling through an insulator between semiconductors
: to make a tunnel or similar opening through or under
also
: to make (one's way) by or as if by making a tunnel
Examples of tunnel in a Sentence
Noun
The train goes through a tunnel in the mountain.
The moles dug tunnels in the yard.
Verb
Workers are tunneling through the hill.
Insects had tunneled into the tree.
Recent Examples on the Web
James Pearce, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Over the decades, the periodic exchange of rockets forced people on both sides to hunker down into deep defensive tunnels hewn from the solid rock.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
David Sims, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
In a public meeting Tuesday night, transportation planners want to hear reaction to a proposal to tunnel under the railroad tracks at five major crossings in Fort Lauderdale, an effort to reconnect the community.
—Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tunnel
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.
Noun
The Egyptian attacker briefly applauded Liverpool’s jubilant away end inside Deutsche Bank Park after the final whistle before turning and making a beeline for the tunnel as the celebrations continued.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Over the decades, the periodic exchange of rockets forced people on both sides to hunker down into deep defensive tunnels hewn from the solid rock.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
Yet Strong’s recent habit of tunneling into tragic characters has clearly piled up.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
In a public meeting Tuesday night, transportation planners want to hear reaction to a proposal to tunnel under the railroad tracks at five major crossings in Fort Lauderdale, an effort to reconnect the community.
—Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tunnel
Cite this Entry
“Tunnel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tunnel. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tunnel
2 of 2 verb
tunneled or tunnelled; tunneling or tunnelling
ˈtən-liŋ,
-ᵊl-iŋ
: to make a tunnel
Medical Definition
tunnel
noun
tun·nel
ˈtən-ᵊl
: a bodily channel see carpal tunnel
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share