as in to dig
to hollow out or form (something) by removing earth
workmen are excavating a long tunnel that will eventually replace the aboveground expressway
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Recent Examples of excavate
Forgotten under sixty-five feet of pumice and ash, Herculaneum wasn’t rediscovered until the eighteenth century, and the original Villa dei Papiri has still not been fully excavated.
—
Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
But figuring out what’s excavating without your permission isn’t straightforward.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2025
In the late 1940s, Soviet archaeologists began excavating the Royal Palace at Sanjar-Shar.
—Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 17 Sep. 2025
The estate was excavated in Kafr Qasim, a city in the central region of the country.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excavate
Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
But figuring out what’s excavating without your permission isn’t straightforward.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2025
In the late 1940s, Soviet archaeologists began excavating the Royal Palace at Sanjar-Shar.
—Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 17 Sep. 2025
The estate was excavated in Kafr Qasim, a city in the central region of the country.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excavate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excavate
Verb
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Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Oct. 2025
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Oulonger 12-Pack Solar Landscape Lights Outdoor lighting that requires digging and underground wiring is so not worth the time and effort.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The presiding minister elected not to deliver a funeral sermon; dirt was shoveled on top of the mahogany box only three minutes after the service began.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Oct. 2025
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Videos posted to Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu showed hikers shoveling snow off buried tents in blustery whiteout conditions.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Excavate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excavate. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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