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
The project, which was initially approved in 2001, involves clearing 65 acres of the landfill’s unused property and excavating 7 million cubic yards of dirt and rock to accommodate South Orange County’s waste disposal needs through 2102, extending the facility’s operating life by 50 years.
—
Claire Wang, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
Stern has dedicated his career to excavating the emotional landmines and complex origin stories that shape the lyrics, the songs, the chart-topping hits that land singers and songwriters into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
—Malina Saval, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2026
Throughout the property, the singer incorporated the rocks that had been excavated while building the lake.
—Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 16 Apr. 2026
Hale traverses mountain trails, excavates court records, and reflects on his family’s roots in the region to examine the unexpected connections between the two events.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for excavate
Claire Wang, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
Stern has dedicated his career to excavating the emotional landmines and complex origin stories that shape the lyrics, the songs, the chart-topping hits that land singers and songwriters into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
—Malina Saval, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2026
Throughout the property, the singer incorporated the rocks that had been excavated while building the lake.
—Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 16 Apr. 2026
Hale traverses mountain trails, excavates court records, and reflects on his family’s roots in the region to examine the unexpected connections between the two events.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for excavate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excavate
Verb
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Was the coach’s allegation of deceit required to dig it out of the Wolves?—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
27 Apr. 2026
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Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.—
Joseph Flaherty,
Arkansas Online,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Crews were seen shoveling it away.—
Kris Habermehl,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
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Nothing reminded me of that as much as when Kimi and Myka, after doing runway walks in their hairnets and drab white protective garments, shoveled the graves of whey out of a slurry and pitched them into a giant bin.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Excavate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excavate. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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