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• channel
  channel

  noun

  the bed of a stream, river, or other waterway.
• Channel
  Channel

  noun

  short for English Channel

channel

¹ American  

[chan-l] / ˈtʃæn l /

noun

1. 

   the bed of a stream, river, or other waterway.

2. Nautical. a navigable route between two bodies of water.

3. the deeper part of a waterway.

4. a wide strait, as between a continent and an island.

5. a course into which something may be directed.

   He hoped to direct the conversation to a new channel.

6. a route through which anything passes or progresses.

   channels of trade.

7. channels, the specific, prescribed, or official course or means of communication.

   In an emergency he was able to reach the governor without going through channels.

8. a groove or furrow.

   Synonyms:

   cut, rut, groove, furrow, trough, trench

9. a means of access.

   He considers the Senate a channel to the White House.

10. Architecture.

    1. a flute in a column, especially one having no fillet between it and other flutes.

    2. any of the prominent vertical grooves in a triglyph.

11. (in jazz or popular music) a bridge.

12. Telecommunications. a frequency band of sufficient width for one- or two-way communication from or to a transmitter used for television, radio, CB radio, telephone, or telegraph communication.

13. Computers. a path for the transfer of signals or data within a computer or between a computer and its peripheral equipment.

14. Digital Technology.

    1. feed.

       Learn how to create your own web channel.

    2. a web page or website that distributes frequently updated content by means of a feed.

       Subscribe to my YouTube channel.

15. either of the two signals in stereophonic or any single signal in multichannel sound recording and reproduction.

16. Cell Biology. a transient opening made by a protein embedded in a cell membrane, permitting passage of specific ions or molecules into or out of the cell.

    calcium channel.

17. a tubular passage for liquids or fluids.

18. Building Trades.

    1. any structural member, as one of reinforced concrete, having the form of three sides of a rectangle.

    2. a number of such members.

       channel in 100-foot lengths.

    3. channel iron.

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verb (used with object)

• channels,
  present (3rd person singular)
• channeled,
  past participle,  past
• channelled,
  past participle,  past (especially British)
• channeling,
  present participle
• channelling
  present participle (especially British)

1. to convey through or as through a channel.

   He channeled the information to us.

   Synonyms:

   focus, direct, concentrate, steer, route, conduct, pipe, funnel, transport, convey, carry

2. to direct toward or into some particular course.

   to channel one's interests.

3. to excavate as a channel.

4. to form a channel in; groove.

5. to professedly reach or convey messages from (a spiritual guide) by entering a meditative or trancelike state.

6. to imitate the ideas, appearance, etc., of (a person or thing that is admired).

   At times he seems to be channeling the late Michael Jackson’s vocal stylings.

verb (used without object)

• channels,
  present (3rd person singular)
• channeled,
  past participle,  past
• channelled,
  past participle,  past (especially British)
• channeling,
  present participle
• channelling
  present participle (especially British)

1. to become marked by a channel.

   Soft earth has a tendency to channel during a heavy rain.

channel ² American  

[chan-l] / ˈtʃæn l /

Also chain wale,

noun

1. a horizontal timber or ledge built outboard from the side of a sailing vessel to spread shrouds and backstays outward.

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channel ¹ British  

/ ˈtʃænəl /

noun

1. a broad strait connecting two areas of sea

2. the bed or course of a river, stream, or canal

3. a navigable course through a body of water

4. (often plural) a means or agency of access, communication, etc

   to go through official channels

5. a course into which something can be directed or moved

   a new channel of thought

6. electronics

   1. a band of radio frequencies assigned for a particular purpose, esp the broadcasting of a television signal

   2. a path for an electromagnetic signal

      a stereo set has two channels

   3. a thin semiconductor layer between the source and drain of a field-effect transistor, the conductance of which is controlled by the gate voltage

7. a tubular or trough-shaped passage for fluids

8. a groove or flute, as in the shaft of a column

9. computing

   1. a path along which data can be transmitted between a central processing unit and one or more peripheral devices

   2. one of the lines along the length of a paper tape on which information can be stored in the form of punched holes

10. short for channel iron

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verb

1. to provide or be provided with a channel or channels; make or cut channels in (something)

2. (tr) to guide into or convey through a channel or channels

   information was channelled through to them

3. to serve as a medium through whom the spirit of (a person of a former age) allegedly communicates with the living

4. (tr) to exhibit the traits of (another person) in one’s actions

5. (tr) to form a groove or flute in (a column, etc)

Channel ² British  

/ ˈtʃænəl /

noun

1. short for English Channel

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channel ³ British  

/ ˈtʃænəl /

noun

1. nautical a flat timber or metal ledge projecting from the hull of a vessel above the chainplates to increase the angle of the shrouds

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channel Scientific  

/ chăn′əl /

1. A specified frequency band for the transmission and reception of electromagnetic signals, as for television signals.

2. The part of a field effect transistor, usually U-shaped, through which current flows from the source to the drain.

3. See more at field effect transistor

4. A pathway through a protein molecule in a cell membrane that modulates the electrical potential across the membrane by controlling the passage of small inorganic ions into and out of the cell.

5. The bed or deepest part of a river or harbor.

6. A large strait, especially one that connects two seas.

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channel Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing channel

• go through channels

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• channeler
  noun
• channeller
  noun
• multichanneled
  adjective
• multichannelled
  adjective
• nonchanneled
  adjective
• unchanneled
  adjective
• unchannelled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• channeling
  present
• channelling
  present
• channeled
  past
• channelled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• channel
  simple
• channels
  simple
• have channeled
  perfect
• have channelled
  perfect
• has channeled
  perfect
• has channelled
  perfect
• am channeling
  progressive
• am channelling
  progressive
• are channeling
  progressive
• are channelling
  progressive
• is channeling
  progressive
• is channelling
  progressive
• have been channeling
  perfect progressive
• have been channelling
  perfect progressive
• has been channeling
  perfect progressive
• has been channelling
  perfect progressive

Past

• channeled
  simple
• channelled
  simple
• had channeled
  perfect
• had channelled
  perfect
• was channeling
  progressive
• was channelling
  progressive
• were channeling
  progressive
• were channelling
  progressive
• had been channeling
  perfect progressive
• had been channelling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will channel
  simple
• will have channeled
  perfect
• will have channelled
  perfect
• will be channeling
  progressive
• will be channelling
  progressive
• will have been channeling
  perfect progressive
• will have been channelling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of channel¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English chanel, can(n)el, from Old French chanel, canel, from Latin canālis “waterpipe, conduit”; see canal

Origin of channel²

First recorded in 1760–70; variant of chain wale

Explanation

A channel is a passageway, a means of access for a thing, a communication, or an idea. Think of a channel as sort of a tunnel or a funnel that moves something directly through. The noun channel can be used for many such avenues. It can mean a waterway such as the English Channel — the "Chunnel" is a tunnel beneath the Channel — or a means of accomplishing a goal, as in "going through legal channels." Use it as a verb when you channel your energies to achieve success.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

channel Channel channels channeled channelled channeling channelling

“That’s probably the most important channel through which buying a home builds wealth,” said James Choi, a professor of finance at the Yale School of Management, who has challenged traditional personal-finance advice in his research.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

Even during his incarceration, the former food chemist never ceased his political activity on social media, particularly on his YouTube channel, which has 162,000 subscribers.

From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026

Wholesale channel growth, meanwhile, slowed to 4.8% as the company intentionally limited shipments to retailers in a more promotional environment, a notable drop after years of double-digit expansion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

Farmer and entrepreneur Olly Harrison is receiving an honorary degree for his popular YouTube channel that gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges of farming.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

I shall only channel the light for good.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

CBS owns more than two dozen TV stations with FCC licenses, including KCBS-TV Channel 2 and KCAL-TV Channel 9 in Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

In a statement to The Times, NBC-TV Channel 4 and Telemundo’s KVEA-TV Channel 52 said the helicopter involved in the fatal crash provided aerial news coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

Between 1 January and 7 September 2026, a total of 17,281 people crossed the English Channel by small boat from France.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

In one case, a 17-year-old girl told British broadcaster Channel 4 News in August how she had been approached by a man who covertly recorded her and their interaction.

From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026

Dr. Kane and his twenty-man crew named Canada’s Kennedy Channel, took geographical measurements, and charted iceberg-filled waters further north through the summer of 1853.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

But tensions flared back up later in the month after disputes over alternative shipping channels and alleged U.S. bypass moves.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026

Those channels provide a direct route through which immune cells and cellular waste can travel between the brain and nearby skull bone marrow.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026

Trump regularly bypasses the usual communication channels, keeping up with a wide circle of contacts—including world leaders, business executives and lawmakers—through his personal cellphone.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

Departments said using influencers helped the government to reach people who may be harder to engage through traditional channels, with content creators paid fairly for their time and expertise.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

Rias, riverbeds that have been flooded by the sea, form deep harbors that reach inland, creating channels that can funnel waves.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

The rapper has channeled his views on the conflict into his music, releasing his protest song “Hind’s Hall” in May 2024.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

When he sat down to write "Insidious: Out of the Further," the sixth installement of the blockbuster horror franchise, director Jacob Chase channeled his fears over a major life event: becoming a parent.

From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026

Her disincentive is channeled directly into her $25 million paycheck, which obviously isn’t awarded for accurate reporting and analysis.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

With commercial tourism, social media and vlogging much of today’s world feels overexposed and overexplained, with seemingly every destination photographed, every experience reviewed and all hidden gems channeled into content.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026

She just glared at this man, all the rage and frustration channeled at him through her eyes.

From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston

The "polka dot queen" channelled hallucinations and battles with mental health into vibrant art featuring her trademark dots, nets and infinity motifs over a career spanning decades and continents.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

The money had instead been channelled to new property developments, resulting in hundreds of unfinished projects.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

Asked by AFP about Russia's economic woes, the Russian leader on Thursday channelled Mark Twain.

From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026

The researchers tested both smoother ice shelf bases and more realistic channelled formations under cooler and slightly warmer ocean conditions.

From Science Daily ● May 10, 2026

The fear in her voice channelled perfectly with the charmspeak.

From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan

Friedman was, as usual, channeling mainstream foreign policy dogma, which briefly held that constructive change might emerge from the chaotic aftermath of the Oct.

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

The original model of the Integratron was among the collection, along with blueprints, photographs, books and recordings of Van Tassel channeling what he described as “beings from beyond.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

I tried channeling my inner Mona: brilliant with the confidence that only comes with a leopard-print neckerchief.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

While Mr. Richman’s vocals retained punk’s nasal, monochromatic tone, his songs were dorky and witty, channeling Buddy Holly, Gene Vincent and Freddie and the Dreamers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

They were often the sort of Marvellers who had trouble only channeling good light and following rules.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

He has staked his leadership on aggressive reforms that aim to deliver double-digit growth, slashing bureaucratic red tape, empowering the private sector and channelling vast resources into mega-projects.

From Barron's ● Apr. 8, 2026

In December, the BBC announced it was doubling spending on content in the four nations by channelling more money from central budgets across the UK.

From BBC ● Jan. 29, 2026

He said he was "grateful" to Mrs Davies and her family for "channelling their grief from their really tragic circumstance into this kind of cause for action".

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2025

While the ban was a catalyst for the current unrest, protesters are also channelling a more deep-rooted dissatisfaction with the country's authorities.

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2025

‘Who wants to be the next Popsicle?’ she yelled, channelling anger into her charmspeak.

From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• avenue
• carrier
• means
• medium
• route
• tunnel