tubular

6 synonyms and 2 antonyms for tubular, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adj — Shaped like a tube; hollow and cylindrical.

Synonyms

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

vasiform cannular tubiform tuboid tuboidal tubelike

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adj

Shaped like a tube; hollow and cylindrical.

“The bridge was supported by a series of tubular steel beams.”

vasiform cannular tubiform tuboid tuboidal tubelike

2. adj

(informal, dated) Excellent; awesome.

“It was such a tubular wave, the surfer said, grinning ear to ear.”

Opposites

mediocre uncool

How to use tubular

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

tubular steel tubular frame

The "awesome" sense is dated slang, strongly associated with 1980s surf and valley-speak; using it now usually reads as a deliberate throwback.

Etymology

From Latin tubulus ("small tube") plus -ar. The slang sense meaning "awesome" comes from surfing culture, describing the hollow, tube-like curl of a great wave — and became a catchphrase of 1980s surfer and valley-girl slang.

Full origin of tubular →

Frequently asked questions

What does “tubular” mean?

The word “tubular” means shaped like a tube; hollow and cylindrical.

How do you pronounce “tubular”?

“Tubular” is pronounced TYOOB-yuu-luh (/ˈt(j)ubjələɹ/ in IPA).

How do you use “tubular” in a sentence?

Here is “tubular” used in a sentence: “The bridge was supported by a series of tubular steel beams.”

What is another word for “tubular”?

Words with a similar meaning to “tubular” include cannular, tubiform, tuboid and tuboidal.

What part of speech is “tubular”?

“Tubular” is an adjective.

Where does the word “tubular” come from?

The word “tubular” dates back to around 1980 and comes from Latin.

Is “tubular” a common word?

“Tubular” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “tubular” have?

“Tubular” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: shaped like a tube; hollow and cylindrical.

People also searched

mediocre vasiform cannular tuboid uncool tubiform

Nearby words

← Back to the full definition of tubular