Illustration of siphon
- siphon 1a
variants
or less commonly syphon
1
a
: a tube bent to form two legs of unequal length by which a liquid can be transferred to a lower level over an intermediate elevation by the pressure of the atmosphere in forcing the liquid up the shorter branch of the tube immersed in it while the excess of weight of the liquid in the longer branch when once filled causes a continuous flow
b
usually syphon
: a bottle for holding aerated water that is driven out through a bent tube in its neck by the pressure of the gas when a valve in the tube is opened
2
: any of various tubular organs in animals and especially mollusks or arthropods that are used for drawing in or ejecting fluids
variants
or less commonly syphon
siphoned also syphoned; siphoning also syphoning
ˈsī-fə-niŋ 
ˈsīf-niŋ
: to convey, draw off, or empty by or as if by a siphon
—often used with off
: to pass by or as if by a siphon
Examples of siphon in a Sentence
Verb
The water needs to be siphoned from the pool.
She illegally siphoned money out of other people's bank accounts.
Funds were siphoned from the schools to build a new stadium.
The large chain stores are siphoning profits from the small local stores.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 8 July 2025
Soda siphons either have a bottle with precarbonated water or a bottle of tap water with a plastic top screwed on top.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 27 May 2025
Wafaa Shurafa, arkansasonline.com, 6 July 2025
According to the Israeli government, the new program is needed because Hamas had been siphoning off aid supplied through traditional channels.
—Max Rodenbeck, Foreign Affairs, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for siphon
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Noun
Oftentimes, third parties have acted as vote siphons that threaten either Republican or Democratic candidates' ability to reach a majority, or have mobilized attention over voter issues.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 8 July 2025
Soda siphons either have a bottle with precarbonated water or a bottle of tap water with a plastic top screwed on top.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 27 May 2025
Verb
Israel says Hamas has siphoned off aid delivered by the U.N., a claim the U.N. denies.
—Wafaa Shurafa, arkansasonline.com, 6 July 2025
According to the Israeli government, the new program is needed because Hamas had been siphoning off aid supplied through traditional channels.
—Max Rodenbeck, Foreign Affairs, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for siphon
Cite this Entry
“Siphon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/siphon. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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