as in searched
to look through (as a place) carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something
I've been dredging my memory bank, and I simply can't remember her name
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Recent Examples of dredged
The fact that a humpback whale had been dredged out for days by volunteers, corralled into a barge and released into the North Sea demonstrated a collective good will toward nature that can seem all too rare.
—
Jessica Camille Aguirre, New Yorker, 2 May 2026
The classic preparation, popularized in part by the iconic Julia Child, features a whole filet of Dover sole, dredged in flour and pan-fried in butter until golden.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
When the golf event was originally moved to Carlton Woods in 2023, a lake located between the ninth and 18th holes was dredged, cleaned out, and netting was even installed to keep animals, including alligators, out of it so the winner could jump in after securing victory.
—Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
For decades, the harbor entrance has been dredged each year in the spring, usually finishing in time to leave a fresh coat of sand on Oceanside’s nearby beaches in time for the Memorial Day weekend.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
Sharon Lake was last dredged from 1986 to 1988.
—Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 19 Mar. 2026
Clearly, her absurd office dredged its barrenness from her.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
In the film, Emma Stone's Bella Baxter is dredged from the river after dying by suicide, then reanimated by Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe), possessing the body of a woman and the brain of a baby.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Jan. 2026
The item will then be dredged and lifted from the water so researchers can attempt to identify it.
—CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025
Jessica Camille Aguirre, New Yorker, 2 May 2026
The classic preparation, popularized in part by the iconic Julia Child, features a whole filet of Dover sole, dredged in flour and pan-fried in butter until golden.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
When the golf event was originally moved to Carlton Woods in 2023, a lake located between the ninth and 18th holes was dredged, cleaned out, and netting was even installed to keep animals, including alligators, out of it so the winner could jump in after securing victory.
—Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
For decades, the harbor entrance has been dredged each year in the spring, usually finishing in time to leave a fresh coat of sand on Oceanside’s nearby beaches in time for the Memorial Day weekend.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
Sharon Lake was last dredged from 1986 to 1988.
—Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 19 Mar. 2026
Clearly, her absurd office dredged its barrenness from her.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
In the film, Emma Stone's Bella Baxter is dredged from the river after dying by suicide, then reanimated by Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe), possessing the body of a woman and the brain of a baby.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Jan. 2026
The item will then be dredged and lifted from the water so researchers can attempt to identify it.
—CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dredged
Verb
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As the Timberwolves desperately searched for an equalizer in the final five minutes, Notre Dame goaltender Kendra DeLawter stood tall in net, robbing two point-blank attempts to preserve the lead for the Cougars.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
9 May 2026
-
When blood was found on a neighbor’s garbage can, police searched the Revere Road house but found nothing.—
Gloria Casas,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
The building is full of character, having at turns been home to a book press, bank, and, most appropriately, the founding headquarters of the Danish Spirit Producers.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
-
The letter, sent Friday, comes amid a high-stakes legal battle currently playing out in an Oakland federal courtroom between onetime partners Altman and Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, who in 2015 co-founded the AI company best known for creating ChatGPT.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
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As the story goes, this particular treasure hunter spent several days in those harsh conditions, carefully following a pre-determined grid pattern to ensure every square foot of the desertscape was scanned.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
8 May 2026
-
The agency scanned an area, including three glaciers that form the main front ends of the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream (NEGIS) from January to March, and analyzed the changes that occurred over that period.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Sources close to the investigation told 60 Minutes police combed through security footage and cellphone data from near Van Gaver's property and from a dozen other robberies.—
Sharyn Alfonsi,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
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To help you get started, CNBC Select combed through dozens of auto insurers and based our analysis on cost, customer service, and other factors.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Lateef sheepishly raked his hand through his hair.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
-
In total, the event raked $41 million (35 million euros)—bolstered, of course, by that pair of Monets.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Most companies haven’t yet adjusted its employee metrics and incentives to fit with how AI is changing work, Microsoft said in its report, which surveyed 20,000 workers using AI across 10 countries.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
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And 85% of investors surveyed by JLL expect cap rates to fall even further during the next 12 months.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dredged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dredged. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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