backhoe

noun

back·​hoe ˈbak-ˌhō How to pronounce backhoe (audio)
: an excavating machine having a bucket that is attached to a rigid bar hinged to a boom and that is drawn toward the machine in operation

Examples of backhoe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The brothers used a backhoe and small crane to remove much of the concrete casing. Tony Leys, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2023 Their recollections echo earlier statements from residents who told the AP of hearing a backhoe and jackhammer overnight and seeing a convoy of FBI vehicles, including armored trucks. Michael Rubinkam, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2023 Residents being evacuated on a backhoe on Wednesday in Muguthang. Reuters, NBC News, 5 Oct. 2023 At least a foot of water remained on some streets where multiple vehicles had been abandoned and heavy equipment including backhoes, forklifts and bulldozers worked to clear water and mud that still sloshed over curbs and covered sidewalks. Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 1 Aug. 2023 But that didn’t slow residents, who had generators humming and backhoes and earth movers hauling debris from yards. Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2023 Investigators previously used ground-penetrating radar and a backhoe to dig up and search the yard of the home. Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN, 1 Aug. 2023 Once marked, digging within 24 horizontal inches of the locate, known as the Tolerance Zone, is restricted to hand shoveling or vacuum extraction – no mechanized equipment, such as a backhoe or excavator, is allowed. Enstar Natural Gas, Anchorage Daily News, 14 July 2023 And there are backhoes and bulldozers plowing across a construction site where a new home goods store will replace a previous one that was burned to the ground. Megan Specia, BostonGlobe.com, 8 July 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'backhoe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of backhoe was in 1928

Dictionary Entries Near backhoe

Cite this Entry

“Backhoe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backhoe. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

backhoe

noun
back·​hoe -ˌhō How to pronounce backhoe (audio)
: a large machine that digs into the earth with a metal scoop drawn toward the machine

More from Merriam-Webster on backhoe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!