SHOVEL Synonyms: 14 Similar and Opposite Words

shovel

verb

Definition of shovel

as in to dig

to hollow out or form (something) by removing earth the troops quickly shoveled a trench

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of shovel Rocky’s job of the day turned out to be shoveling the steps and sidewalks of the church, which was on a corner lot and had about a block’s length of sidewalk. — Tom Drury, Harpers Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026 Locals and government officials were clearing debris and shoveling thick mud coating much of the town. — Eugene Garcia, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026 Several parody videos of people shoveling dessert into their mouths also circulated on social media. — Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2026 Moments after an incredibly warm greeting, Quinn shoveled coal into the flames and stuck an iron in the forge. — Sarah Wood González, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shovel

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shovel

Verb

Roche is digging deeper into the biotech industry in China, striking a new partnership with a drug startup there.

— Allison DeAngelis, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
Her mother dug her out from under debris and Sasha remained in a coma for 15 days.

— Matthew Carey, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of dig

Verb

Next week, heavy equipment will be brought in to excavate the property.

— Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
The remains of these servants, or retainers, were first excavated from the funerary complexes at Abydos, eastern Egypt, which date from around 3000 BC, in the 1920s.

— Jack Guy, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of excavate

Browse Nearby Words

shoved (off)

shovel

shoveled

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“Shovel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shovel. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of shovel

verb

Example Sentences

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