funnel
Americannoun
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a cone-shaped utensil with a tube at the apex for conducting liquid or other substance through a small opening, as into a bottle, jug, or the like.
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a smokestack, especially of a steamship.
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a flue, tube, or shaft, as for ventilation.
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Eastern New England. a stovepipe.
verb (used with object)
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to concentrate, channel, or focus.
They funneled all income into research projects.
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to pour through or as if through a funnel.
verb (used without object)
noun
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a hollow utensil with a wide mouth tapering to a small hole, used for pouring liquids, powders, etc, into a narrow-necked vessel
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something resembling this in shape or function
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a smokestack for smoke and exhaust gases, as on a steamship or steam locomotive
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a shaft or tube, as in a building, for ventilation
verb
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to move or cause to move or pour through or as if through a funnel
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to concentrate or focus or be concentrated or focused in a particular direction
they funnelled their attention on the problem
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(intr) to take on a funnel-like shape
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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funnelsimple
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funnelssimple
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have funneledperfect
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have funnelledperfect
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has funneledperfect
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has funnelledperfect
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am funnelingprogressive
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am funnellingprogressive
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are funnelingprogressive
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are funnellingprogressive
-
is funnelingprogressive
-
is funnellingprogressive
-
have been funnelingperfect progressive
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have been funnellingperfect progressive
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has been funnelingperfect progressive
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has been funnellingperfect progressive
Past
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funneledsimple
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funnelledsimple
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had funneledperfect
-
had funnelledperfect
-
was funnelingprogressive
-
was funnellingprogressive
-
were funnelingprogressive
-
were funnellingprogressive
-
had been funnelingperfect progressive
-
had been funnellingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of funnel
1375–1425; late Middle English fonel < Old Provençal fonilh ( Gascon ) < Vulgar Latin *fundibulum, for Latin infundibulum, derivative of infundere to pour in
Explanation
The cone-shaped tool you use to pour liquid into a small hole is a funnel. The swirling winds of a tornado make the shape of a funnel. This is why they are called funnel clouds. You can also use the word metaphorically to describe something that goes from wide to narrow while moving. If six lanes of traffic must funnel through a tunnel, you'll probably see a traffic jam. And if you photographed the scene from above, the cars would make a triangular shape, as if they formed a flat funnel. If a company is funneling money into research and development, it is spending lots of money in that department. Funnel cake is made by pouring batter through a funnel in to hot oil. Yum!
Vocabulary lists containing funnel
Words to Know Before You Defrost the Bird
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Pestle, Sieve, and Whisk: Useful Words for Cooking Tools
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Seedfolks
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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.
Specifically, the court noted that existing disclosure laws and rules about earmarking donations already act as disincentives for donors hoping to use parties as a means to indirectly funnel money to candidates.
From Salon • Jul. 2, 2026
A robust banking system and wide availability of nonbank financing helped funnel capital to startups and other ventures, allowing them to sustain losses for longer periods as their businesses matured.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 28, 2026
The Panama Canal is an important funnel for trade going to and from U.S. ports.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 21, 2026
The plan is for power lines to funnel this green energy to the megacities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chongqing.
From BBC • May 31, 2026
Soon he was lost to view behind a funnel cloud of sunlight and magic.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
