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
Earlier this year, the agency excavated a site at Phou Pha Thi, the remote mountain in Laos, recovering more bone material and human remains.
—
Lauren Brensel, Sun Sentinel, 25 July 2025
The remote sensing showed five promising formations underground, but only two have been examined more closely and only one excavated, officials said.
—Irene Wright
july 14, Miami Herald, 14 July 2025
Archaeologists in Turkey recently excavated the ruins of a millennia-old city, revealing a fifth-century Christian church with a message that hasn't been seen in over 1,000 years.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2025
How will Nashville's geology impact construction of the Music City Loop?
To cut through the limestone and hard rock beneath Nashville, The Boring Company will use Prufrock tunnel boring machines (TBMs), which rely on rotating disc cutters and high thrust to excavate solid formations.
—Diana Leyva, The Tennessean, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for excavate
Lauren Brensel, Sun Sentinel, 25 July 2025
The remote sensing showed five promising formations underground, but only two have been examined more closely and only one excavated, officials said.
—Irene Wright
july 14, Miami Herald, 14 July 2025
Archaeologists in Turkey recently excavated the ruins of a millennia-old city, revealing a fifth-century Christian church with a message that hasn't been seen in over 1,000 years.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2025
How will Nashville's geology impact construction of the Music City Loop?
To cut through the limestone and hard rock beneath Nashville, The Boring Company will use Prufrock tunnel boring machines (TBMs), which rely on rotating disc cutters and high thrust to excavate solid formations.
—Diana Leyva, The Tennessean, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for excavate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excavate
Verb
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Finance teams need to dig deeper, and time their entry carefully.—
Achal Singi,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.—
Harley Walls,
Arkansas Online,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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If you are headed out to shovel a path out of your home, whether that be today or tomorrow, the American Heart Association encourages Hoosiers to protect their hearts while shoveling.—
Katie Wiseman,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
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Chamber executives, meanwhile, are quick to point out that metro cities will often shovel unfavorable or controversial developments toward Chinatown districts, away from more affluent or suburban neighborhoods.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Excavate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excavate. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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