ditch

noun

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\ ˈdich

Definition of ditch

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a long narrow excavation dug in the earth (as for drainage)

ditch

verb

ditched; ditching; ditches

Definition of ditch (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to surround with a long narrow cavity in the earth : to enclose with a ditch (see ditch entry 1) The pasture was hedged and ditched.

b : to dig a ditch in

2 aviation : to make a forced landing of (an airplane) on water successfully ditched the plane

3a : to get rid of : discard ditch an old car had to ditch their plan

b : to end association with : leave ditched school His girlfriend ditched him.

intransitive verb

1 : to dig a ditch

2 aviation : to crash-land at sea

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About ditch

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Synonyms for ditch

Synonyms: Noun

dike,
fosse
(or foss),
gutter,
sheugh
[chiefly Scottish],
trench,
trough

Synonyms: Verb

Examples of ditch in a Sentence

Noun He drove the car into the ditch. after skidding on the ice, our car went right into the ditch Verb The thief ditched the purse in an alley. They ditched the car in a vacant lot. They ditched me at the concert.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun After the Pentagon awarded the JEDI contract to Microsoft in 2019, Amazon sued in a last-ditch effort to claw back the deal. — Nicolás Rivero, Quartz, 28 June 2021 And, perhaps most seriously for Trump, the ex-President's lawyers met prosecutors on Monday in a last-ditch effort to stave off criminal charges possibly targeting the Trump Organization and its namesake's longtime financial guru, Allen Weisselberg. — Stephen Collinson, CNN, 29 June 2021 Activists have launched a last-ditch effort to get the anti-discrimination bill passed ahead of the Olympics, which begin on July 23. — Washington Post, 23 June 2021 Dozens of liberal groups are preparing a last-ditch effort through television ads, phone banks and rallies nationwide over the July 4 holiday to pressure senators to either pass the legislation or get rid of the vote threshold. — Sarah D. Wire, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2021 The jump from 5 degrees to 70 degrees and then back to 5 degrees causes a bit of botanical whiplash that can mean some plants start out the following spring with one foot in the ditch. — Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 21 May 2021 Hammoud said there was no accident and the car was not in the ditch. — Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 26 Apr. 2021 The body appeared to have been in the ditch for several days. — Chron, 24 Jan. 2021 State transportation officials said the interstate would likely be down to one lane each way overnight and warned travelers about vehicles in the ditch. — CBS News, 23 Dec. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The other nations of the U.K. — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — have not opted to ditch legal requirements on mask-wearing in enclosed spaces. — Pan Pylas, Star Tribune, 14 July 2021 Horse advocates dispute those claims and are calling on the BLM to ditch its roundup program in favor of fertility control, which the BLM’s own science advisors have recommended. — Brian Maffly, The Salt Lake Tribune, 13 July 2021 The General Assembly has considered ways to ditch the unpopular vehicle tax, but has been stymied when challenged to come up with substitute revenue. — Stephen Singer, courant.com, 13 July 2021 The bar scene returns in full force as people reemerge and ditch COVID precautions. — John Bacon, USA TODAY, 11 July 2021 Many predicted as the economy improved that investors would ditch bonds, causing yields to rise near 2 percent at this point. — Washington Post, 8 July 2021 When asked why voters should ditch a House committee chairman for a freshman representative, Scott said voters need someone with a broad vision who can address many issues beyond the admittedly important federal budget. — Morgan Watkins, The Courier-Journal, 7 July 2021 Planetina seems charmed by Morty’s bumbling earnestness, giving the kid an excuse to ditch Rick and hang out with someone pleasant for a change. — Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 6 July 2021 As homebound workers look to ditch crowded trains and traffic jams, but still want a place to go that’s social and free from the distractions of home, more are finding it in the suburbs. — BostonGlobe.com, 5 July 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ditch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.