excavate

verb

ex·ca·vate | \ ˈek-skə-ˌvāt

excavated; excavating

Definition of excavate

transitive verb

1 : to form a cavity or hole in

2 : to form by hollowing out

3 : to dig out and remove

4 : to expose to view by or as if by digging away a covering excavate the remains of a temple

intransitive verb

: to make excavations

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about excavate

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Examples of excavate in a Sentence

They excavated an ancient city. It is the first site to be excavated in this area. They began excavating the backyard for their new pool. The excess dirt was carefully excavated.

Recent Examples on the Web

Beneath a hill not far away from the amusements, Tencent, an internet giant, has finished excavating a bomb-proof cavern with five massive entrances. — The Economist, "One of China’s poorest provinces wants to be a tech hub," 31 May 2018 The city does occasionally remove objects from the beach that could pose a hazard, but excavating a large ship that is submerged in seawater more often than not would prove incredibly difficult. — Jay Bennett, Popular Mechanics, "Unusual Weather Reveals Wreck of Prohibition-Era Booze Cruise," 2 Feb. 2016 Lieutenant Johnson said authorities excavated that site and brought cadaver dogs, but no significant evidence was found. — Malik Johnson, NBC News, "Parents of Lelia Faulkner still searching for daughter two years after her disappearance.," 8 July 2018 The delicate process began; the team began to excavate and struck gold. — Alice B-b, A-LIST, "No Place Like Rome," 4 July 2018 The area will be excavated and bones and other remains will be analyzed and tested — a process that could take months, police Chief Michael Geier said. — Crimesider Staff, CBS News, "Discovery near mass gravesite leads to fears of more victims in unsolved serial killings," 4 July 2018 The area will be excavated and bones and other remains will be analyzed and tested — a process that could take months, police Chief Michael Geier said. — Russell Contreras, Fox News, "Bones unearthed near New Mexico site where bodies were found," 3 July 2018 The coal vaults needed to be waterproofed, and the floor in the main part of the apartment had to be excavated to create higher ceilings in the dining and living rooms. — Ruth Bloomfield, WSJ, "How to Live Luxe—and With Light—in a Basement Home," 13 June 2018 None of the defendants were charged criminally in connection with the disposal of Donald Webb’s remains, which were excavated on July 13, 2017. — Travis Andersen, BostonGlobe.com, "State officials smash multimillion-dollar gaming ring; gangster’s stepson was kingpin, prosecutors say," 28 June 2018

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