as in dug
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 excavated
Prehistoric mining in the Pyrenees High in the eastern Pyrenees is a prehistoric cave, excavated between 2021 and 2023.
—
ArsTechnica, 1 June 2026
The cave itself was first excavated in 1850.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 1 June 2026
The specimen, excavated over several years in South Dakota, stretches roughly 38 feet long and stands more than 12 feet tall.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 28 May 2026
Mastodon Lake was first excavated in the 1930s.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
The director uses her loose crime movie template to chronicle a place still trapped in its troubled past — a past that gets dug up like all the ancient artifacts excavated by Veska and her crew — while facing a future of inertia and decline.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 23 May 2026
The Suez Canal, however, is an artificial waterway excavated through Egyptian territory, while the Strait of Hormuz is a naturally occurring strait governed by a different legal framework, according to an international law expert.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 17 May 2026
The burial was excavated by Colchester Archaeological Trust during archaeological work at the former Essex County Hospital site.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 17 May 2026
Also already under way this summer is the first annual maintenance of the new pitch, where the top 10 millimetres are being replaced, compared with the best part of 600 millimetres that had to be excavated a year ago when the new surface was laid.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 14 May 2026
ArsTechnica, 1 June 2026
The cave itself was first excavated in 1850.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 1 June 2026
The specimen, excavated over several years in South Dakota, stretches roughly 38 feet long and stands more than 12 feet tall.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 28 May 2026
Mastodon Lake was first excavated in the 1930s.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
The director uses her loose crime movie template to chronicle a place still trapped in its troubled past — a past that gets dug up like all the ancient artifacts excavated by Veska and her crew — while facing a future of inertia and decline.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 23 May 2026
The Suez Canal, however, is an artificial waterway excavated through Egyptian territory, while the Strait of Hormuz is a naturally occurring strait governed by a different legal framework, according to an international law expert.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 17 May 2026
The burial was excavated by Colchester Archaeological Trust during archaeological work at the former Essex County Hospital site.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 17 May 2026
Also already under way this summer is the first annual maintenance of the new pitch, where the top 10 millimetres are being replaced, compared with the best part of 600 millimetres that had to be excavated a year ago when the new surface was laid.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 14 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excavated
dug
Verb
-
When challenged by Palo Alto’s Amaya Bharadway in the final 100 meters, Dailey dug down and pulled away.—
Steve Brand,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2026
-
Suarez walked Fry to load the bases, but dug deep and struck out Manzardo and Stuart Fairchild, who lost an ABS challenge in the process.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Excavated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excavated. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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