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
While excavating the ruins, archaeologists from the University of Haifa's Zinman Institute of Archaeology were struck by a floor design at the entrance of an ancient building.
—
Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Other mining jobs include continuous mining machine operators, excavating/loading machine and dragline operators, and construction equipment operators.
—Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Currently, the crew is still working on excavating down to the pipe to find the exact break, the company stated.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 28 Aug. 2025
Zone Rouge follows the démineurs, a band of bomb-retrieval experts who are, in 2016, still carefully excavating shells from the soil.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
This includes activities like manufacturing equipment and excavating land to begin placing equipment in it.
—Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 15 Aug. 2025
With the state potentially looking to expand the site, District Judge Kathleen Williams on Thursday issued a temporary restraining order blocking any construction installing additional paving, tall lighting, filling, excavating or fencing at the controversial detention camp.
—Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2025
Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Other mining jobs include continuous mining machine operators, excavating/loading machine and dragline operators, and construction equipment operators.
—Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Currently, the crew is still working on excavating down to the pipe to find the exact break, the company stated.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 28 Aug. 2025
Zone Rouge follows the démineurs, a band of bomb-retrieval experts who are, in 2016, still carefully excavating shells from the soil.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
This includes activities like manufacturing equipment and excavating land to begin placing equipment in it.
—Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 15 Aug. 2025
With the state potentially looking to expand the site, District Judge Kathleen Williams on Thursday issued a temporary restraining order blocking any construction installing additional paving, tall lighting, filling, excavating or fencing at the controversial detention camp.
—Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excavating
digging
Verb
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On a moonless night in January, a gargantuan turtle was digging a nest high up on a soft sand beach at Galathea Bay on the Great Nicobar Island in the Indian Ocean.—
M. Rajshekhar,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Dogs have a way of surprising their owners with strange, determined behaviors—but few are as dramatic as Rosie's relentless digging spree.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Excavating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excavating. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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