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
The canvas was a quartz-rich granite pebble that was excavated from a rock shelter in central Spain in 2022, in a layer dating back 42,000 to 43,000 years.
—
Peter Guo, NBC news, 28 May 2025
In a first for Colombia three former army soldiers, wearing white protective suits and armed with trowels and buckets, spent 10 days alongside forensic experts excavating dirt, removing bones and bits of clothing, and bagging up the remains of people killed during the war.
—John Otis, NPR, 27 May 2025
Their remains were found in 2023 by an underwater recovery team that excavated the crash site.
—David Chiu, People.com, 26 May 2025
Excavators in Pompeii uncover secrets from fast-food restaurant A fast-food eatery at Pompeii has been excavated, helping to reveal dishes that were popular for the citizens of the ancient Roman city who were partial to eating out.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for excavate
Peter Guo, NBC news, 28 May 2025
In a first for Colombia three former army soldiers, wearing white protective suits and armed with trowels and buckets, spent 10 days alongside forensic experts excavating dirt, removing bones and bits of clothing, and bagging up the remains of people killed during the war.
—John Otis, NPR, 27 May 2025
Their remains were found in 2023 by an underwater recovery team that excavated the crash site.
—David Chiu, People.com, 26 May 2025
Excavators in Pompeii uncover secrets from fast-food restaurant A fast-food eatery at Pompeii has been excavated, helping to reveal dishes that were popular for the citizens of the ancient Roman city who were partial to eating out.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for excavate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excavate
Verb
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Avoid biting, picking, or digging under your nails.—
Brandi Jones,
Health,
7 June 2025
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During Saturday’s rodeo, the four SDG&E teams were required to compete in four timed tasks, from pipe-cutting and digging to assembling a gas meter and installing new gas service.—
Lori Weisberg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2025
Verb
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The highway was shut down for nearly 14 hours as crews shoveled, hand-picked, and vacuumed the loose coins from the road and nearby brush.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
30 Apr. 2025
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And when Anderson shoveled a pass behind him to Bam Adebayo, White quickly made up several feet of ground to steal the ball from the big man.—
Jay King,
New York Times,
3 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Excavate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excavate. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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