as in to dig
to hollow out or form (something) by removing earth
workmen are excavating a long tunnel that will eventually replace the aboveground expressway
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Recent Examples of excavate
These reflective masses of relatively young material were deposited many millions of years ago during cataclysmic asteroid strikes that excavated vast basins on the lunar surface.
—
Anthony Wood, Space.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Everyone seemed to be interested in exploring the fabric of the city, trying to excavate its strange atmospheres and hidden meanings.
—Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The therapist should adroitly excavate what the AI has told the client.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
The wall was excavated more than 230 years ago, but some 300 inscriptions etched into it remained hidden until new technologies allowed researchers to identify them.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for excavate
Anthony Wood, Space.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Everyone seemed to be interested in exploring the fabric of the city, trying to excavate its strange atmospheres and hidden meanings.
—Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The therapist should adroitly excavate what the AI has told the client.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
The wall was excavated more than 230 years ago, but some 300 inscriptions etched into it remained hidden until new technologies allowed researchers to identify them.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for excavate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excavate
Verb
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Excavators digging at Sizewell C found 321 silver coins last year, dating back between 1036 and 1044.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.—
John Brummett,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The workers shovel back the snow and remove the ice from near the gutter.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
4 Feb. 2026
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Twelve thousand miles of sidewalk were shovelled.—
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Excavate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excavate. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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