Dardanelles

American  

[dahr-dn-elz] / ˌdɑr dnˈɛlz /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. 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.

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Dardanelles British  

/ ˌdɑːdəˈnɛlz /

noun

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

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Example Sentences

The Gallipoli campaign, part of a British-led effort to defeat the Ottoman Empire, aimed to secure a naval route through the Dardanelles from the Mediterranean Sea to Constantinople, now Istanbul, in Turkey.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

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, 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

The Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey commanded the entrance to the heavily fortified Dardanelles, the narrow waterway connecting the Aegean Sea with the Black Sea and Russia beyond.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman