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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dug
Verb
  • The complaint did not say if the area was excavated or what was wrapped in the plastic.
    Charna Flam, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Templeton promptly contacted the Mississippi State Geological Survey, whose experts carefully excavated the 600-pound (270 kilograms) artifact.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • But that was not the case at Leicester last season, when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall enjoyed a career-best campaign while wingers Abdul Fatawu and Stephy Mavididi registered 19 and 18 goal involvements respectively in the Championship.
    Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
  • Rowdy expectations Illinois enjoyed a home-like atmosphere in Friday’s first-round win, thanks to the many Illini fans who traveled from Champaign and the Chicago area.
    Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The clip poked fun at photos from the couple's recent cover shoot for Interview magazine.
    Catherine Santino, People.com, 11 Mar. 2025
  • The muzzle of a hunting rifle poked out from the back seat, and a water bottle on the front console was filled with the brown swill of chewing tobacco.
    Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • More Stores But it is understood that the disposal of De Beers, one way or another, will proceed, as will a plan to grow the retail arm of the business through the opening of more stores with the aim being to grow from 40 De Beers outlets today to 100 around the world.
    Tim Treadgold, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
  • Tantric Buddhism understood this, and reminders of mortality abound in its art, in images of skeletons and corpses, and in portraits of deities associated with death.
    Holland Cotter, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Both women appeared to have been stabbed multiple times, authorities said and the local medical examiner’s office confirmed, per FOX 11, WSAZ and MetroNews.
    Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 23 Dec. 2024
  • Hernandez-Velasco, 32, was rushed to Stamford Hospital after he was stabbed at a party, cops said.
    Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 23 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Eazy The Block Captain and Shields also hopped into the fray, with Eazy disputing Papoose’s claim that he was punched unconscious and challenging him to a fight.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 6 Jan. 2025
  • Rosa went on to detail that one of the young women punched her in the face, causing her glasses to fly to the floor, at which point a second teen grabbed a pouch containing Rosa's ID and medical records.
    Toria Sheffield, People.com, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The life-sized bronze statue was sawed off at the heels and carried away by unknown perpetrators, Novo Mesto Police Department spokeswoman Alenka Drenik Rangus confirmed to the Slovenian outlet Dnevnik.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 16 May 2025
  • Volunteers sawed logs with kids, taught them how to pan for gold, showed off desert reptiles and even hosted an environmental magic show.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • The original 1990 film grossed more than $470 million in the worldwide box office and spurred five sequels that followed the original movie.
    Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Dec. 2024
  • The city’s plan has spurred outrage and divided the community.
    Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Dug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dug. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

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