1
as in excavated
to hollow out or form (something) by removing earth
a backhoe dug a hole in the backyard to make a swimming pool
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in enjoyed
to take pleasure in
I really dig bluegrass music
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in knew
to have a clear idea of
can you dig what I'm saying?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in poked
to urge or push forward with or as if with a pointed object
every time I slowed down, he'd dig me in the ribs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 dug
The designer, who styled the show himself, looked to music, a consistent muse, and dug his aesthetic heels into the '90s grunge look.
—
Roxanne Robinson, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Vineyards in Lanzarote are one of a kind—mini craters, or hoyos, are dug by hand to grow grapes in volcanic ash, known as picón.
—Lauren David, Travel + Leisure, 16 Sep. 2025
These are all statements said in an attempt to draw concern from you to contact the source of the email and fall into the rabbit hole the scammers have dug.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
Earlier in the game, the defense repeatedly dug itself out of holes to put USC in a position to win.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 14 Sep. 2025
With Xayavong still missing, Finnegan dug deeper into Jorgenson’s previous messages and searched for references to a storage unit.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 14 Sep. 2025
Infant accessories dug-up from the previous owner’s storage at the estate sale might still contain lead paint or choking hazards, and Ziomek advises to beware especially of any accessories involving sleeping, when babies are particularly vulnerable.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025
O’Steen bludgeoned Marissa Grimes, dug a shallow grave for her under his house in west Fort Worth and for 10 days lived above where police later sawed open the floor to expose Grimes’ decomposing 135-pound body, prosecutors have argued that the evidence shows.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025
By then, Easy has become a viral hit, Sam has dug himself in way too deep, and Mickey is itching to show his true colors.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 12 Sep. 2025
Roxanne Robinson, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Vineyards in Lanzarote are one of a kind—mini craters, or hoyos, are dug by hand to grow grapes in volcanic ash, known as picón.
—Lauren David, Travel + Leisure, 16 Sep. 2025
These are all statements said in an attempt to draw concern from you to contact the source of the email and fall into the rabbit hole the scammers have dug.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
Earlier in the game, the defense repeatedly dug itself out of holes to put USC in a position to win.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 14 Sep. 2025
With Xayavong still missing, Finnegan dug deeper into Jorgenson’s previous messages and searched for references to a storage unit.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 14 Sep. 2025
Infant accessories dug-up from the previous owner’s storage at the estate sale might still contain lead paint or choking hazards, and Ziomek advises to beware especially of any accessories involving sleeping, when babies are particularly vulnerable.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025
O’Steen bludgeoned Marissa Grimes, dug a shallow grave for her under his house in west Fort Worth and for 10 days lived above where police later sawed open the floor to expose Grimes’ decomposing 135-pound body, prosecutors have argued that the evidence shows.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025
By then, Easy has become a viral hit, Sam has dug himself in way too deep, and Mickey is itching to show his true colors.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dug
Verb
-
The estate was excavated in Kafr Qasim, a city in the central region of the country.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Covered in concrete and lost to time for decades, the vats were rediscovered and excavated in 2016 within a building that hugs the Kentucky River.—
Robin Roenker,
Southern Living,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Harried enjoyed a colorful green and purple display with vast pillars reaching high into the sky, as well as a subtle green glow as activity began to wane.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
But mortgage rates remain elevated above 6%, freezing activity in the housing market that enjoyed a tremendous boom during the pandemic thanks to sub-3% mortgage rates.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The black long-sleeve top was a staple for me, providing a warming base layer that no one knew was there under the right sweater or top.—
Liz Provencher,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The lawsuit contends that county officials knew his property did not contain farm labor housing but proceeded with the search anyway, using the task force as a pretext to bypass warrant requirements and investigate for potential code violations.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
During her acceptance speech last year for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series, the actress poked fun at her own success.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
-
No movie poked holes in the stereotypical puffy rock-star ego more effectively than Spinal Tap did, and there are legions of fans who have the film almost completely memorized.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As for their concept for this series, Law liked the idea.—
Dana Feldman,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
They were rejected from one entrepreneurship class, then accepted into another, attracting some early pre-seed funding from Soma Capital and a Stanford professor who liked their pitch.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Now in production, the indie feature stars Dern as steadfast patriarch Gramps, whose daughter Shay (Thompson) is a single mother navigating the ADHD diagnosis of one of her identical twin sons, who shares his medication with his brother in attempt to be understood, sparking an unforgettable summer.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Christian Siriano has always understood the art of drama.—
Essence,
Essence,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The older daughter tried to grab Dorn and was stabbed three times in her head and once in her neck, court documents said.—
Wren Smetana,
AZCentral.com,
20 Sep. 2025
-
In the third, a man stabbed his cell mate multiple times and attempted to hide his body under a sheet.—
Christopher Damien,
USA Today,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Our testers also loved how the Japanese stainless steel blade gently exfoliates and easily glides along and around the contours of your face.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Murphy and Greco make fresh thin crust pizza that Jack and I loved.—
Greg Sullivan,
AFAR Media,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dug. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share