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
But this incident gives the organization a chance to dig even deeper into the community. — David Aldridge, New York Times, 4 July 2026 But there are critics who say Warsh doesn’t always dig deep enough, particularly when sharing his worldview publicly. — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 3 July 2026
Noun
Shamea stands ten toes down, and the digs start flying again as Shamea brings out her receipts from Ashley. — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 29 June 2026 Another legislator, Bill Heffernan, also part of the West Haven Historical Society is trying to secure funding to have an archeological dig to resume so it can be verified that Campbell is buried there. — Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 28 June 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
  • The women were originally excavated during the late 19th century from within the funerary complex at Dahshur, an ancient Egyptian necropolis featuring some of the oldest, largest, and best preserved pyramids in Giza.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 17 July 2026
  • The family eventually rebuilt itself, but filming the show excavated old wounds.
    — Eliana Dockterman, Time, 14 July 2026
Definition of excavate
Verb
  • Defense stocks have enjoyed a bumper year in 2026, as conflicts from Ukraine to Iran increase demand for munitions worldwide.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 6 July 2026
  • With estimated sales totaling €32 billion and a growth rate between 4-6% for 2025, jewelry seems to be enjoying its brightest summer yet.
    — Milena Martins-Alexandre, Vogue, 6 July 2026
Definition of enjoy
Verb
  • Another gripe for many is the American accents uniformly applied to these characters from Greek mythology when everyone knows that all the glorious empires of Hollywood speak exclusively in British accents.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
  • On the opposite side of the ball, he could be heard barking orders out during pick-and-roll situations, loudly letting teammates know where the ball-handler was headed.
    — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2026
Definition of know
Verb
  • Her breasts poke at the thin fabric of her gown, and there are shadows in the folds of the bed linen.
    — Diane Williams, New Yorker, 16 July 2026
  • This included one of their players poking a finger into the ear of the Belgian penalty-spot protector Diego Moreira, and responding to the reactionary elbow to the tummy by going down, and staying down, on top of the penalty mark.
    — Geir Jordet, New York Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of poke
Noun
  • They were controlled by two sets of levers, with plastic buttons that made the combatants throw left jabs and right uppercuts.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • This response could be seen as a subtle jab at Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts and ESPN’s Chiney Ogwumike.
    — Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of jab
Noun
  • But for Wildmon and Buchanan, in-your-face avant-garde art was an insult to the average person, certainly the average American Christian.
    — Louis Menand, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
  • Musk and Altman have repeatedly traded blows in recent years, mocking each other’s businesses and lobbing personal insults.
    — Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Definition of insult
Noun
  • Residential buildings were badly damaged in the assault, leaving people trapped in multi-story apartment blocks and an entire family that was killed pulled from the rubble, while cars were seen burning on city streets.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Roseville has a new apartment community that offers a different take on traditional apartment living in Placer County.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of apartment
Verb
  • Those mounds of soil — not apparent in the photograph — were consistent with digging a hole as dirt is shoveled out and dumped along the edge.
    — Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026
  • With the work now being migration, most programs are still shoveling, counting tasks and missing the structure.
    — Maman Ibrahim, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of shovel

Phrases Containing dig

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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 19 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of dig for Spanish Speakers

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