channel

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A long, narrow passage along which water or another liquid flows, or a strip of water joining two larger seas.

   Grammar: Countable. Written with a capital C for the English Channel.

   Patterns

   • a channel for something
   • a channel between two places

   Workers dug a channel to carry water away from the field.

   Ferries cross the channel in under two hours.

   Rain filled the narrow channel beside the road.

2. 2nouncountable

   A television or radio station or the frequency on which it broadcasts, or a page on a video platform.

   Grammar: Countable: change the channel, a news channel, a YouTube channel.

   Patterns

   • watch a channel
   • switch channels

   She flicked through channels looking for a film.

   The channel shows cooking programs all day.

   He started a channel to share his guitar lessons.

3. 3nouncountable

   A way or system through which information, goods, or communication is sent or officially handled.

   Grammar: Often in the plural: go through official channels.

   Patterns

   • through official channels
   • a channel of communication

   Complaints must go through official channels.

   The company opened a new sales channel online.

   Open channels of communication helped end the dispute.

4. 4verbtransitive

   To direct something, such as money, energy, or feeling, toward a particular use or goal.

   Grammar: Takes an object and usually into or toward: channel anger into art.

   Patterns

   • channel something into something
   • channel something toward something

   She channeled her nervous energy into training.

   The charity channels donations to families in need.

   He learned to channel his frustration into writing.

Word forms

Common combinations

TV channel

Our favorite TV channel shows old comedies.

channel of communication

Email is the main channel of communication here.

official channels

You should request a refund through official channels.

channel energy into

Try to channel your energy into something useful.

distribution channel

The brand sells through several distribution channels.

cross the channel

They crossed the channel by ferry at night.

Synonyms and how they differ

route

Route is the path taken to reach a place or result, while channel is the means through which something passes.

conduit

Conduit is a more formal word for a pipe or intermediary and often suggests passing something along neutrally.

direct

Direct means to aim or guide something and has no sense of a defined pathway as channel does.

strait

A strait is a narrow natural waterway between land masses; channel is broader and also covers man-made passages.

Word family

channeling noun

the act of directing something into a use

channeled adjective

directed or grooved

canal noun

a man-made waterway

Commonly confused: channel or chanel?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “channel”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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