delve 1 of 2

noun

Definition of delvenext
archaic
as in cave
a naturally formed underground chamber with an opening to the surface a poem in which a medieval knight encounters a mysterious beauty in a darkened delve

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

delve

2 of 2

verb

as in to excavate

Related Words

Dissimilar 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 delve
Verb
Given a treasure trove of options to delve into, Webb and Wolfington chose to focus on the title track. — Cathy Applefeld Olson, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 That pushed the company to delve into other areas including advertising, gaming and cracking down on password sharing. — Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026 Now, with the launch of her new womenswear brand, Memory NYC, audiences can delve even further into her cute, nostalgic visual world. — Violet Conroy, Vogue, 15 July 2026 But that requires me to go to Africa and spend time there with my family and delve in. — Chris Willman, Variety, 13 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for delve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delve
  1. cave
  2. excavate
  3. cavern
  4. dig
  5. grotto
  6. shovel
Noun
  • Some suites intentionally feel cave-like and cocooning, which fits the atmosphere but may not suit everyone.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Great Basin National Park Great Basin’s beauty sprawls across 77,000 acres, with sky-high peaks, limestone caves, tranquil lakes, and groves of ancient Bristlecone pines, some of which are among the oldest trees on Earth.
    — Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of cave
Verb
  • Poliński, a professor at the Institute of Archaeology at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland, and his colleagues began excavating the site in Pień near Dąbrowa Chełmińska in 2005.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • In July 2025, utility workers excavating trenches to expand an underground gas network in Peru's capital unearthed two pre-Incan tombs that were over 1,000 years old.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of excavate
Noun
  • But as oil is drained from these reserves, the integrity of the caverns may be imperiled.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is stored at 60 salt caverns thousands of feet underground at four major sites along the Gulf Coast in Louisiana and Texas.
    — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of cavern
Verb
  • Unless the judges are seeing things differently, which is possible, Romero is digging himself too big of a hole.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • This popular wireless bra uses an elastic band in place of hardware to support your chest without digging or pinching into your skin.
    — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of dig
Noun
  • Legend has it, Sperlonga was a stop on Odysseus's journey, and a group of ancient sculptures depicting scenes from the Odyssey were found in the grotto adjacent to the villa.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The hydrotherapy circuit runs cold plunge pools alongside a jungle-view sauna and a steam room with an ice fountain, plus a mud grotto and a vitality pool.
    — Winston Ross, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of grotto
Verb
  • Earlier this month, bulldozers were videoed uprooting trees and shoveling dirt as wild animals trotted by.
    — Ashley Killough, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • In the absence of heavy equipment, rescue workers, police and volunteers shoveled debris by hand at many sites, looking for survivors.
    — Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of shovel

Phrases Containing delve

Browse Nearby Words

deluxe
delve
delved
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Delve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delve. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tilde

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All