excavator
noun
ex·ca·va·tor
ˈek-skə-ˌvā-tər 
: one that excavates
especially
: a power-operated shovel
Examples of excavator in a Sentence
The excavators found ancient tools at the site.
Recent Examples on the Web
Designed to deliver comparable performance to the ZX135-7 diesel excavator, the ZX135-7EB model will incur lower maintenance costs and extend working hours.
—
Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Feb. 2026
Boys watch as an excavator clears debris amid a search for bodies after Israeli forces struck Gaza City in December 2023.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026
In Turkey, ancient barley grains dating back 5,000 years were found by excavators last year.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Feb. 2026
During that process, the excavator cab and arm turned, pinning one of the workers between the excavator arm and the front-end loader bucket.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for excavator
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Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Feb. 2026
Boys watch as an excavator clears debris amid a search for bodies after Israeli forces struck Gaza City in December 2023.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026
In Turkey, ancient barley grains dating back 5,000 years were found by excavators last year.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Feb. 2026
During that process, the excavator cab and arm turned, pinning one of the workers between the excavator arm and the front-end loader bucket.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for excavator
Cite this Entry
“Excavator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excavator. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
excavator
noun
ex·ca·va·tor
ˈek-skə-ˌvāt-ər
: an instrument used to open bodily cavities (as in the teeth) or remove material from them
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