: a long narrow excavation dug in the earth (as for drainage)
ditched; ditching; ditches
1
a
: 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
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
Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 3 July 2025
The driver of the minivan, a 49-year-old man, was found in a ditch off the road with minor injuries.
—Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Chaunie Brusie, Parents, 7 July 2025
Saks then lined up $350 million in new financing in May only to ditch that in favor of $600 million in financing last month from a group of bondholders jockeying for a better position in the capital structure.
—Evan Clark, Footwear News, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ditch
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Stay informed and follow these tips from the NWS to ensure safety during heavy rainfall:
Beware of swollen waterways:
Avoid parking or walking in close proximity to culverts or drainage ditches, as the swiftly moving water during heavy rain can potentially carry you away.
—Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 3 July 2025
The driver of the minivan, a 49-year-old man, was found in a ditch off the road with minor injuries.
—Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Verb
So do yourself a favor and ditch the heavy layers this summer.
—Chaunie Brusie, Parents, 7 July 2025
Saks then lined up $350 million in new financing in May only to ditch that in favor of $600 million in financing last month from a group of bondholders jockeying for a better position in the capital structure.
—Evan Clark, Footwear News, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ditch
Cite this Entry
“Ditch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ditch. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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