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
as in enjoyed
to take pleasure in
I really dig bluegrass music
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in knew
to have a clear idea of
can you dig what I'm saying?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of dug
The Dream dug themselves an early hole, starting a dismal 1-of-12 from three-point range in the first quarter and missing several layups in transition.
—
Christopher Harris, CBS News, 13 May 2026
In 2023, a cadaver dog alerted on topsoil near a converted shed behind the house in which the boy and his family lived, but as authorities dug deeper, the dog no longer alerted, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2026
The Princess Royal, 75, wasn't even bothered when Vegas's owner, Kate Wilson, apologetically pointed out that the restless pup had dug a few holes in the palace lawn.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
Derek Patten dug through the crates at Hardy Boys Records in Charlotte, looking for rare vinyl treasures.
—Chase Jordan
updated May 11, Charlotte Observer, 11 May 2026
Detectives used ground-penetrating radar and dug the property using hand tools, the sheriff’s office told CNN at the time.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 10 May 2026
This marked the completion of a mighty piece of an urban infrastructure upgrade — getting the 1895 Howard Street Tunnel dug deeper and rebuilding three neighborhood bridges where the railroad passed.
—Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2026
Over the past year, Shugar and his co-authors have dug more deeply into seismic records and other observations of the glacier to figure out what happened.
—Megan I. Gannon, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
To help natural forces rebuild the marsh more quickly, restoration crews dug channels into the farmland before breaching the levee.
—John Ryan, NPR, 3 May 2026
Christopher Harris, CBS News, 13 May 2026
In 2023, a cadaver dog alerted on topsoil near a converted shed behind the house in which the boy and his family lived, but as authorities dug deeper, the dog no longer alerted, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2026
The Princess Royal, 75, wasn't even bothered when Vegas's owner, Kate Wilson, apologetically pointed out that the restless pup had dug a few holes in the palace lawn.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
Derek Patten dug through the crates at Hardy Boys Records in Charlotte, looking for rare vinyl treasures.
—Chase Jordan
updated May 11, Charlotte Observer, 11 May 2026
Detectives used ground-penetrating radar and dug the property using hand tools, the sheriff’s office told CNN at the time.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 10 May 2026
This marked the completion of a mighty piece of an urban infrastructure upgrade — getting the 1895 Howard Street Tunnel dug deeper and rebuilding three neighborhood bridges where the railroad passed.
—Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2026
Over the past year, Shugar and his co-authors have dug more deeply into seismic records and other observations of the glacier to figure out what happened.
—Megan I. Gannon, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
To help natural forces rebuild the marsh more quickly, restoration crews dug channels into the farmland before breaching the levee.
—John Ryan, NPR, 3 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dug
Verb
-
According to the researchers, if their reconstruction is correct, astronauts near the lunar south pole could land within deposits that may contain material excavated from deep inside the moon during the colossal collision.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
9 May 2026
-
In January 2021, police found Muirhead's Red Bull can and excavated around it.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
Woodward and McNeela are both captains who enjoyed Marist’s celebration on senior night.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
12 May 2026
-
The chickens had indeed been attacked by a coyote, a juvenile who’d never before enjoyed the pleasures of the coop.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Being such a fan of books, the 24-year-old actor knew just how dedicated the fanbase for his new Prime Video series Off Campus would be.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
-
So when Morgan didn’t show up for the early shift one morning, her co-workers knew something was wrong.—
Dateline NBC,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Many curious passersby poked their heads inside, wondering if the restaurant was serving food again.—
Iris Kwok
May 12,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
Holding her breath, Ana poked her head into the coop.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Her middle-school sister Nicole also liked the family outing.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
-
What Darcy liked best was to be left alone with a pile of books in a quiet room.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
That feeling of being seen and understood stayed with her, ultimately inspiring Henson to commit to a career as a nurse and to offer the same reassurance to her own patients.—
Nancy Badertscher,
AJC.com,
7 May 2026
-
The situation has captured international attention as some passengers had disembarked and dispersed across multiple countries before the outbreak was fully understood, prompting some to draw comparisons to the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Arriving officers found an unresponsive man who had significant injuries consistent with being stabbed, Becchina said.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
13 May 2026
-
What followed, Lane claimed, was a four-hour altercation in which Wilson choked and stabbed him multiple times in the chest and hand, before throwing him through a pair of sliding glass doors.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Spirit Airlines was the budget-friendly carrier America loved to hate.—
Dalila Muata,
NBC news,
9 May 2026
-
While the late Irish businessman Ivor Fitzpatrick, who owned the yacht for the past few years, had loved owning it, his widow, Susan, has lowered the price with the goal of moving it more quickly.—
Michael Ballaban,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dug. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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