dug

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

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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 Digital forensics experts dug through it, looking for his search activity, contacts and other data to help police build their case against him. Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2025 Yet, for a team whose defense hardly made any plays for months at a time last season and dug an insurmountable hole by never getting the lucky bounce or break in a zillion one-score losses, there were no apologies. Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025 For example, most types of turfgrass have short roots, and soil samples from lawns only need to be dug to a depth of 4 inches. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2025 So the girls dug back into the box of blocks and pulled out an orange card. Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025 Running full speed and without breaking stride, the Red Sox center fielder took one glance at the wall, leapt up and dug his cleat into the cushion to give himself an extra boost. Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025 The men in the congregation even dug the hole for the foundation themselves. Enquirer Staff Report, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Sep. 2025 To travel back in time, a team of scientists dug through the mammal collections at The Field Museum in Chicago. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 4 Sep. 2025 They were originally considered too wet to develop, but that was before the Portage Marina basin was dug decades ago, so the flood plain maps are outdated. Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dug
Verb
  • One of the richest fossil sites is the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, where hundreds of bones have been excavated, giving scientists an extraordinary window into the life and death of these Ice Age giants.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Archaeologists excavated the underground burial and found a secondary connecting structure.
    Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The enticing breakfast spread includes French toast, eggs, and oatmeal and can be enjoyed in the dining room or on the patio.
    Mae Hamilton, AFAR Media, 9 Sep. 2025
  • OpenAI and the Big Tech players have enjoyed a good head start with their respective foundation AI models, while Beijing has long considered AI a strategic priority.
    Ryan Browne, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the administration knew the identities of the people in the vessel.
    Emily Goodin, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Apart from a few childhood friends, his wife, Rosemary Hobor, knew him the longest, but shares generalizations more than revealing anecdotes.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The post, which shared several photos from the outing, also poked fun at the couple getting caught in the rain while meeting with schoolchildren at the museum.
    Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
  • While some people argued that the photo was degrading to women, Carpenter stood by the photo and poked fun at the controversy while sharing alternate album covers.
    Katherine Schaffstall, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Alonso would have liked to have made more signings this summer, with strengthening in midfield an obvious target.
    Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
  • That post has been liked over 26,000 times at the time of publication.
    Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But more than anything, Thomas was among the rare fans in attendance Sunday who understood exactly what professional athletes feel when they are traded, waived, fired, told they are no longer wanted.
    Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The psychology behind this obsession One key reason for this fascination is their desire to feel understood and to connect with a broader group of people.
    Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Horne's announcement came just over two weeks after a 16-year-old was fatally stabbed in a classroom in west Phoenix's Maryvale High School.
    Erick Trevino, AZCentral.com, 5 Sep. 2025
  • The son and daughter of one of the victims said their father was stabbed several times after someone broke into his home.
    Michael Rios, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • With 254,000 followers on Instagram, Bambi is well-loved by her online community—something that gives her owner joy.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
  • There were people who loved it, and people who absolutely hated it — most especially [former New York Observer critic] Rex Reed.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dug. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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