as in digging
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 excavating
Archaeologists excavating an ancient cemetery in Cairo have found a cache of burial objects that could shed new light on funeral practices in one of Egypt‘s most important religious centers.
—
Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 1 June 2026
The one who is excavating the stories that their colleagues, clients, and team members need to share but don’t yet know how to.
—Esther K. Choy, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
In that sense, today’s audiences aren’t rejecting movie history so much as actively excavating it — but that feedback loop could have some unintended consequences for older creators.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 31 May 2026
From there, the scientists spent three years excavating the dinosaur and yet another three years extracting the fossils.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 28 May 2026
Her protagonist, Arizona, travels from Harvard University’s historic surgical theater to the Catacombs of Paris, excavating medical histories to try and resolve the complexities of her father’s death.
—Arizona O'Neill, Longreads, 19 May 2026
How to Identify a Carpenter Ant Various species of wood-excavating carpenter ants exist, but the most common home invader is the black carpenter ant (Camponotus pennsylvanicus).
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 May 2026
University of Central Florida students and faculty are currently excavating the DeSoto site at Cape Canaveral, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
More than a dozen crews were seen excavating the property in Everman, using heavy equipment and working under canopies, according to aerial video from the scene.
—Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 13 May 2026
Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 1 June 2026
The one who is excavating the stories that their colleagues, clients, and team members need to share but don’t yet know how to.
—Esther K. Choy, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
In that sense, today’s audiences aren’t rejecting movie history so much as actively excavating it — but that feedback loop could have some unintended consequences for older creators.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 31 May 2026
From there, the scientists spent three years excavating the dinosaur and yet another three years extracting the fossils.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 28 May 2026
Her protagonist, Arizona, travels from Harvard University’s historic surgical theater to the Catacombs of Paris, excavating medical histories to try and resolve the complexities of her father’s death.
—Arizona O'Neill, Longreads, 19 May 2026
How to Identify a Carpenter Ant Various species of wood-excavating carpenter ants exist, but the most common home invader is the black carpenter ant (Camponotus pennsylvanicus).
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 May 2026
University of Central Florida students and faculty are currently excavating the DeSoto site at Cape Canaveral, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
More than a dozen crews were seen excavating the property in Everman, using heavy equipment and working under canopies, according to aerial video from the scene.
—Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 13 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excavating
digging
Verb
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The issue circles back to the gigantic investment needed to mine that rich lode when the top names in tech are digging as well.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
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Use Squirrel Repellent Squirrel repellents are another humane option to spray around the yard to deter these rodents from digging it up.—
Ashlyn Needham,
The Spruce,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Excavating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excavating. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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