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

That’s where many of the shovel-ready projects are. — Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2026

The Arlington Heights site is shovel-ready. — Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026

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

Such commitments are also nonbinding, leaving it unclear when, or if, such projects will be shovel-ready. — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1995, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shovel-ready

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