Dardanelles

American

[dahr-dn-elz] / ˌdɑr dnˈɛlz /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

the strait between European and Asian Turkey, connecting the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara. 40 miles (64 km) long; 1–5 miles (1.6–8 km) wide.

Dardanelles British

/ ˌdɑːdəˈnɛlz /

noun

Ancient name: Hellespont. the strait between the Aegean and the Sea of Marmara, separating European from Asian Turkey

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Physical chokepoints include waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz or the Bosporus and Dardanelles, which connect the Mediterranean to the Black Sea, and thus Russian and Ukrainian grain exports.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

The Dardanelles Strait has been temporarily shut to maritime traffic due to large forest fires raging in north-western Turkey, the country's transport ministry has said.

From BBC • Aug. 8, 2025

The Dardanelles Strait, a narrow and historically significant passage connecting the Aegean Sea to the Black Sea, serves as a vital shipping route for vessels travelling between Europe and Asia.

From Reuters • Aug. 22, 2023

The Gallipoli campaign aimed to secure a naval route from the Mediterranean Sea to Istanbul through the Dardanelles, and knock the Ottomans out of the war.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 25, 2023

We ran by Gibraltar wi’oot bein’ able to signal; an’ till we came to the Dardanelles and had to wait to get our permit to pass, we never were within hail o’ aught.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023