Synonyms of excavate

excavate

verb

ˈek-skə-ˌvāt 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dig
• shovel
• dredge
• burrow
• quarry
• delve
• scoop
• claw
• mine
• grub
• spade
• dig in

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fill (in)
• smooth (out or over)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of excavate

An international team of researchers in July excavated a church complex in the ancient city of Nicaea, now within the modern town of İznik, according to Turkish state media outlet Anadolu Agency (AA). — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Gray has spent much of his career excavating the particular anxieties of New York families trying to climb a few rungs higher in society. — Sophie Miller, Rolling Stone, 10 Aug. 2026

Now Kennedy took her suppositions even further, reexamining the literature on a famous Olmec site where thousands of toad skeletons had been excavated. — Kimon De Greef, Longreads, 4 Aug. 2026

The team tried excavating another unknown soldier from an unrelated case just a day before, but were unsuccessful. — Hope McKenney, NPR, 1 Aug. 2026