Bridge-and-tunneler means: One who travels to Manhattan via bridge or tunnel from surrounding communities.. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
bridge-and-tunneler
(New York City, slang, pejorative) One who travels to Manhattan via bridge or tunnel from surrounding communities.
Definitions
US
#1·Apr 26, 2026US
(New York City, slang, pejorative) One who travels to Manhattan via bridge or tunnel from surrounding communities.
For parents
Bridge-and-tunneler means: One who travels to Manhattan via bridge or tunnel from surrounding communities.. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
bridge-and-tunneler means: One who travels to Manhattan via bridge or tunnel from surrounding communities.. Register: very informal, slang. Suitable only for casual conversation, chat and social media. Do not use in business, academic or news writing. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
Cluster: compliment
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Other words near "bridge-and-tunneler" (B)
brick venereal diseasebrickwitbrickybridal showerbridewellbridge-and-tunnelbridge bunnyBridgerbridge routeBridgetbridge upbrief
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