Synonyms of excavate

excavate

verb

ˈek-skə-ˌvāt 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dig
• shovel
• dredge
• burrow
• quarry
• delve
• scoop
• claw
• mine
• grub
• spade
• dig in

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fill (in)
• smooth (out or over)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of excavate

The women were originally excavated during the late 19th century from within the funerary complex at Dahshur, an ancient Egyptian necropolis featuring some of the oldest, largest, and best preserved pyramids in Giza. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 17 July 2026

When Princess Ita’s final resting place was first excavated by French archeologist Jacques de Morgan in the late 1800s, Ita was somewhat of an afterthought, Hashesh says. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 17 July 2026

Construction workers are currently restoring and building rail links between Oxford and Cambridge, and as part of that work, archaeologists are excavating trenches across southern England. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 17 July 2026

Rather than excavating the find himself, Wiśniewski reported it to heritage officials, who recovered the artifact using professional archaeological methods. — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026