dig 1 of 2

verb

ˈdig How to pronounce dig (audio)
Definition of dignext
1
as in to excavate
to hollow out or form (something) by removing earth a backhoe dug a hole in the backyard to make a swimming pool

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to enjoy
to take pleasure in I really dig bluegrass music

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to know
to have a clear idea of can you dig what I'm saying?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to poke
to urge or push forward with or as if with a pointed object every time I slowed down, he'd dig me in the ribs

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dig

2 of 2

noun

1
as in jab
a quick thrust gave him a dig in the ribs with my elbow

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2
as in insult
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings got in a couple of digs about lawyers at my friend's expense

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in apartment
digs plural a room or set of rooms in a private house or a block used as a separate dwelling place check out my new digs on the north side of town

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dig
Verb
An effort to escape himself, or to dig his own shallow, silty grave? — Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2026 This team isn’t consistently stalwart enough to keep from digging itself into an early deficit. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2026
Noun
Illinois commit Kolby Ross paced Lincoln-Way East (30-9) with nine kills and eight digs. — Tony Baranek, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026 Sophomore Lexi White had 10 kills, nine digs and two aces, while freshman Taryn Lambert added 12 kills, 13 digs and two solo blocks. — Steve Gorches, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dig
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dig
  1. excavate
  2. enjoy
  3. know
  4. poke
  5. jab
  6. insult
  7. apartment
  8. shovel
Verb
  • In this season, series creator-showrunner-writer Joe Barton (Giri/Haji, the Amadeus TV series) continues to excavate the theme while raising the stakes from the micro or personal to the geopolitically consequential (and still personal).
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The site was illegally excavated in the 1960s, the statues dismantled and scattered among various countries.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of excavate
Verb
  • Students and faculty shouldn’t have to finance years of litigation to enjoy the expressive freedoms their universities promise.
    — Ilya Shapiro, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
  • In any case, theatrical releases or (re-releases) of popular TV shows are all gravy for cinema operators, who are enjoying the biggest year at the box office since the onset of the pandemic.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of enjoy
Verb
  • There is something so beautiful about loving someone through every season of their life … Kenny, one of the greatest gifts of my life has been getting to know you through all your different chapters.
    — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The 'gold standard' Grading companies verify a card’s authenticity, assess its condition and seal it in a protective plastic case, known as a slab.
    — Matthew Tan, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of know
Verb
  • On the other, the black sand slopes downward into darkness, garden eels poking cautiously from burrows before instantly retreating at the slightest movement.
    — Avantika Chaturvedi, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2026
  • But Miami broke through in the third quarter when Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore went to the bench after being poked in the eye, according to the NBC broadcast.
    — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of poke
Noun
  • Tia, on her end, handled the ambush skillfully, parrying jabs without raising her voice to prevent Wendy from having any opening to feign victimization.
    — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The final sprint to Tuesday's midterm elections has kicked up a flurry of headlines about attack ads slung by candidates and verbal jabs thrown by current and former occupants of the White House.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of jab
Noun
  • Initially billed as a publicity stunt from billionaire Bill Koch (brother to conservative bundlers Charles and David Koch), the women overcame considerable odds — and loads of sexist insults — to defeat some of the world’s greatest sailors.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Stairs took it as an insult, marching offstage just before the set ended.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of insult
Noun
  • Prior to buying their own home, Kirychuk said the family lived in an apartment where the landlord was doubling the rent.
    — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 8 Nov. 2026
  • He was seen on video outside his apartment in just his underwear throwing items down a garbage chute shortly after the slaying, according to the criminal complaint against him.
    — Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of apartment
Verb
  • It's typically seen as a safe-haven asset, which is why investors were shoveling money into it earlier this year.
    — Cooper Katz McKim, NPR, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Renminbi’s place in global central-bank reserve coffers has actually fallen since 2022, despite Beijing shoveling its currency into developing economies through central-bank swap lines.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of shovel

Phrases Containing dig

Browse Nearby Words

diffusion
dig
dig (away)
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Cite this Entry

“Dig.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dig. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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