tunnel

noun

a hole made by an animal, usually for shelter

a passageway through or under something, usually underground (especially one for trains or cars)

verb

force a way through

move through by or as by digging

Roots

tonnetunn- · Old French · cask, tun el-el · Old French · diminutive

Synonyms for tunnel

burrown underpassn passagewayn overpassn corridorn subterrane aditn cavernn subwayn trenchn

Synonyms & related words for tunnel

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of tunnel — including burrow, underpass, passageway, overpass, corridor, subterrane. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to tunnel

Explore words related to tunnel — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include tunnellike, crawlway, viaduct, sandhog, underbridge, overbridge, underground, stulm. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for tunnel

Common synonyms for tunnel include burrow, underpass, passageway, overpass, corridor, subterrane, adit, cavern — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does tunnel come from?

The word tunnel breaks down into 2 roots of Old French origin: tunn, from Old French tonne (“cask, tun”); and -el, from Old French el (“diminutive”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.