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

Sam Wolfe | Bloomberg | Getty Images The Palmetto State is going all-in on shovel-ready sites. — Scott Cohn, CNBC, 9 July 2026

Advocates say the funds would help build more than 40,000 shovel-ready affordable homes that are unable to move forward because of a financing gap and help preserve thousands of other existing units. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026

The foundation report suggests streamlining state processes around environmental permitting and reviews, incentive programs, shovel-ready site readiness and workforce training. — Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 25 May 2026

Cutting red tape, prioritizing projects that are shovel-ready and do the most good. — Kristy Hutchings, Oc Register, 6 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1995, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shovel-ready

• already
• unsteady
• heady
• ready
• reddi
• steady
• teddy
• thready