pipeline

American  

[pahyp-lahyn] / ˈpaɪpˌlaɪn /

noun

1. a long tubular conduit or series of pipes, often underground, with pumps and valves for flow control, used to transport crude oil, natural gas, water, etc., especially over great distances.

2. a route, channel, or process along which something passes or is provided at a steady rate; means, system, or flow of supply or supplies.

   Freighters and cargo planes are a pipeline for overseas goods.

3. a channel of information, especially one that is direct, privileged, or confidential; inside source; reliable contact.

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verb (used with object)

pipelined, pipelining

1. to convey by or as if by pipeline.

   to pipeline oil from the far north to ice-free ports; to pipeline graduates into the top jobs.

idioms

1. in the pipeline,

   1. Informal. in the process of being developed, provided, or completed; in the works; under way.

   2. Government Informal. (of funds) authorized but not spent.

pipeline British  

/ ˈpaɪpˌlaɪn /

noun

1. a long pipe, esp underground, used to transport oil, natural gas, etc, over long distances

2. a medium of communication, esp a private one

3. in the process of being completed, delivered, or produced

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verb

1. to convey by pipeline

2. to supply with a pipeline

Etymology

Origin of pipeline

First recorded in 1855–60; pipe ¹ + line ¹

Explanation

A pipeline is a series of pipes that liquid or gas flows through. A pipeline can also be a channel for other things, even ideas. The Internet is an information pipeline. No digging required! While oil and natural gas often go through a pipeline, other substances are also transported this way, including water used for irrigation and even, in some cases, beer. You can use pipeline when you talk about other quick-moving things, like a source of goods, or even spoken communication. You could call the big companies in your city a kind of “job pipeline.” If you have an idea for a community pool in the pipeline, go ahead and hire the lifeguards!

Example Sentences

Pratt, a registered Republican, has now become part of the reality TV-into-politics pipeline, entering the L.A. mayoral race against incumbent Karen Bass and L.A.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

Long View The crisis may strengthen the case in both countries for long-delayed efforts to reach markets beyond the U.S., such as a pipeline to the West coast to export Canadian crude.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

We’ll begin this week, though, with two entries of service journalism about a couple of suspect uses of taxpayer dollars that are in the pipeline.

From Slate • May 16, 2026

He added: "A strong fast jet training pipeline is fundamental to all other UK combat air capabilities, so risk should not be taken with ensuring it is modernised rapidly and with high levels of assurance."

From BBC • May 15, 2026

There was an enormous amount of worry involving the Alaska pipeline and caribou and whether or not the pipe would act as an iron barrier and stop the normal migration patterns of the caribou.

From This Side of Wild by Gary Paulsen

Related Words

• agenda
• almanac
• card
• chronology
• diary
• docket
• journal
• lineup
• list
• program
• table
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