dug

Definition of dugnext
past tense of dig
1
as in excavated
to hollow out or form (something) by removing earth a backhoe dug a hole in the backyard to make a swimming pool

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4
as in poked
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

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 dug Another unidentified bear later dug the cub and dragged the the body away. Annie Colbert, Popular Science, 29 July 2026 As a result, the mayor has dug heavily into the police department budget, alongside the budgets of every other city department. Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 29 July 2026 But both sides dug their heels in on the matter of the refugee seats, and tensions grew. Hasan Ali, Christian Science Monitor, 26 July 2026 Sorry, but getting funny-man Simon Pegg to voice the Balrog (The Peggrog as he shall henceforth be known as) is not going to save this show from the depths of mediocrity its dug itself into. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026 There, the cast and crew of the series dug deep into its upcoming third season. Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 23 July 2026 Hitting the gym is generally good for heart health, but the researchers in the study dug deeper to see how different types of cardiovascular disease risk were affected. Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 23 July 2026 The reliever and Toronto’s coaching staff dug deeper after the All-Star pause. Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 20 July 2026 Saturday was yet another game in which the Padres’ starting pitcher dug a hole and the offense did nothing to lend him a hand to help him out. Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dug
Verb
  • Authorities say the site in Kalluder, in the municipality of Zubin Potok, has been cordoned off and was not previously excavated in the search for evidence of war crimes.
    ABC News, ABC News, 29 July 2026
  • On Thursday, workers excavated a 3-foot-by-4-foot area to find the source of the water, plugged the leak and resumed preparing the street to reopen.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026
Verb
  • The extraordinary allegation offers a window into the waning days of an increasingly hostile primary race to replace Kelly, who has enjoyed broad popularity throughout her eight years in office.
    Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
  • The polar bears, who were born in Nuremberg, Germany, 16 years ago and have adapted to the European climate, were the ones who enjoyed it the most.
    ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
Verb
  • However, if the judge doesn’t lean their way, LCDS argued that victims still can’t argue that the school knew the images existed or intentionally helped facilitate their spread, which the school thinks should be fatal.
    Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026
  • During that time, Welch knew the woman and her daughter had expired tourist visas but faked a variety of records to convince them otherwise.
    Jonathan J. Cooper, Fortune, 31 July 2026
Verb
  • Offering a clever twist, the warm cake is poked with the handle of a wooden spoon, creating space for a vanilla-pineapple pudding to sink deep into the crumb.
    Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Let sit at room temperature until buns are puffed and expanded to edges of muffin cups (dough will spring back when poked but hold a slight indentation), 25–35 minutes.
    Claire Saffitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Not only did it, but liked it… as Jeffrey Dean Morgan tells Entertainment Weekly.
    Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Through recalls, improvements, changes in battery design, and more, Chevrolet managed to make the Bolt into something that people actually liked and wanted to buy.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • While these practitioners experimented, management thinkers articulated what the best of them already understood.
    Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Nevertheless, being understood matters more than being technically correct today.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 2 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • There was the guy Daemon stabbed through the ear, and then the smelly killers Gwayne sniffed out, and now Ser Adrian, who took a knife to the throat within seconds of seeing Aemond.
    Brian Grubb, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Prosecutors argued the evidence supported a murder conviction, with Deputy Prosecutor Scott Bell telling jurors Ramsey stabbed Holder 38 times and the infant 17 times inside their Ewa Beach apartment, according to the Star-Advertiser.
    Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • At his most threatening when brimming with confidence and direct in his attacking, Garnacho is the type of wide forward Emery has historically loved.
    Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 30 July 2026
  • But before the swirl of attention, there was a frantic search for a teen known in the community as an outgoing, charming athlete with infectiously positive energy who loved making people smile.
    Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 30 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dug. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on dug

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