shovel-ready
adjective
shov·el-ready
ˈshə-vəl-ˌre-dē 
of a construction project or site
: ready for the start of work
Examples of shovel-ready in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Such commitments are also nonbinding, leaving it unclear when, or if, such projects will be shovel-ready.
—
Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
The Arlington Heights site is shovel-ready.
—Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
That’s where many of the shovel-ready projects are.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2026
Cebe said Phase 1’s site engineering is on track to be shovel-ready by the summer, aiming to break ground next year.
—Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The earliest that the pier and lifeguard headquarters project could be shovel-ready is 2027.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
The project has been thoroughly vetted and is shovel-ready.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 3 Jan. 2026
The marine terminal that will assemble the turbines was supposed to be shovel-ready as soon as 2026.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 29 Dec. 2025
Lenders hesitate, underwriting collapses, and shovel-ready developments stall.
—Jenna Abbott, Oc Register, 30 Nov. 2025
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Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
The Arlington Heights site is shovel-ready.
—Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
That’s where many of the shovel-ready projects are.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2026
Cebe said Phase 1’s site engineering is on track to be shovel-ready by the summer, aiming to break ground next year.
—Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The earliest that the pier and lifeguard headquarters project could be shovel-ready is 2027.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
The project has been thoroughly vetted and is shovel-ready.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 3 Jan. 2026
The marine terminal that will assemble the turbines was supposed to be shovel-ready as soon as 2026.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 29 Dec. 2025
Lenders hesitate, underwriting collapses, and shovel-ready developments stall.
—Jenna Abbott, Oc Register, 30 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shovel-ready.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shovel-ready. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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