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

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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 Her mother dug her out from under debris and Sasha remained in a coma for 15 days. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026 Fifteen yards into his route, James dug inside, turned to catch the pass from Zabransky, and took a little jab step upfield as four Oklahoma defenders closed in. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 3 Oct. 2026 The Braves dug deep in their bullpen for all eight innings Saturday. — Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026 The Nepal National Mountain Guide Association, which is leading the search, said rescuers dug through snow on Mount Himlung to find eight bodies in tents at the base camp, where one person remains missing. — ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026 Hundreds of British troops crisscrossed fields with thousands of metres of razor wire and dug a long ditch that was later partially filled with water to act as a moat to keep the Protestant marchers away from the Catholic enclave. — Amanda Ferguson Reuters, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026 But the Rebels dug deep again, and came away with the emotional victory. — Patricia Babcock McGraw Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026 Field dug plants usually do fine with two irrigations per week through the warmer months. — Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 18 Sep. 2026 At Fuerte Guaicaipuro, a military facility, investigators documented detainees being confined in pit-like cells dug below ground level and subjected to cold, food deprivation and other degrading treatment. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dug
Verb
  • The remains of these servants, or retainers, were first excavated from the funerary complexes at Abydos, eastern Egypt, which date from around 3000 BC, in the 1920s.
    — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Being mindful of its construction—the resort is five years in the making—each and every stone guests see is the stone found on the peninsula, excavated and repurposed to keep the area's natural materials intact.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In states such as Alaska, Georgia and Ohio, Democratic governors could deliver new checks on Republican lawmakers who have enjoyed years of legislative control.
    — Kevin Hardy, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The Country Music Hall of Famer and Kansas City have enjoyed a relationship of mutual admiration for decades.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Just 20% of Gen Z knew their exact interest rate on their credit debt—the lowest of any generation and well below baby boomers.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Omani officials knew of al-Hammami’s interest in radical Islamism but failed to flag their concerns; flydubai never checked his record with the Omani authorities.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 10 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Bellingham poked in Gordon's cross midway through the first half.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • George Lombard singled in a run, Jazz Chisholm poked one through the right side, Trent Grisham got a bunt down for a hit, knocking Crochet out of the game without getting an out.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Overcast Milan was looking even grayer than I’d have liked, but I was heartened by a gracious welcome at the Park Hyatt, tucked away on a side street of the Piazza del Duomo.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Well, my dad was one of those guys that really liked the Beatles and the Stones.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Amidst all the turmoil, everyone understood that the March 5 election was a make-or-break moment not only for the Hitler chancellorship but for democracy itself.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Dave 1 understood the instinct immediately, even when the results took him by surprise.
    — Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • According to testimony, Pham and Salerno moved Collins into the bathroom after Lavery hit her, but Lavery followed and stabbed her over and over, leaving blood on the tiles, walls and shower curtain — which had images of knives on it.
    — Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Labour legislator Jo Cox was shot and stabbed in 2016 by a far-right extremist, and Conservative David Amess was stabbed in 2021 by an attacker inspired by the Islamic State group.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • For a kid who loved drawing, the box, with its many drawers, was a portal to a sparkling, colorful world.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Her father's mom, Gloria Paez, from Mexico, didn't speak English but loved to cook.
    — Anna Alejo, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dug. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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