funnel

American  

[fuhn-l] / ˈfʌn l /

noun

1. 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.

2. a smokestack, especially of a steamship.

3. a flue, tube, or shaft, as for ventilation.

4. Eastern New England. a stovepipe.

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verb (used with object)

funneled, funneling, funnelled, funnelling

1. to concentrate, channel, or focus.

   They funneled all income into research projects.

2. to pour through or as if through a funnel.

verb (used without object)

funneled, funneling, funnelled, funnelling

1. to pass through or as if through a funnel.

funnel British  

/ ˈfʌnəl /

noun

1. a hollow utensil with a wide mouth tapering to a small hole, used for pouring liquids, powders, etc, into a narrow-necked vessel

2. something resembling this in shape or function

3. a smokestack for smoke and exhaust gases, as on a steamship or steam locomotive

4. a shaft or tube, as in a building, for ventilation

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verb

1. to move or cause to move or pour through or as if through a funnel

2. to concentrate or focus or be concentrated or focused in a particular direction

   they funnelled their attention on the problem

3. (intr) to take on a funnel-like shape

Other Word Forms

• funnel-like adjective
• funnellike adjective

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

Example Sentences

United looked to funnel City into wide areas before defending intensely with four players.

From BBC

When City had the ball, United's 4-4-2 funnelled them into wide areas, where they defended with four players.

From BBC

Currently, Amazon dominates the “purchase funnel,” meaning that around 50% of shoppers start their product search directly on Amazon, Beck wrote.

From MarketWatch

Over the years, money was funneled from Hudson’s Bay to support the U.S. businesses and then when Hudson’s Bay was struggling after the pandemic, money from the U.S. went to support the Canadian chain.

From The Wall Street Journal

If fixed costs rise, remember to also funnel more dollars into your emergency fund, they say.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• channel
• filter
• pour
• siphon
• transmit