delve
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
verb
-
to inquire or research deeply or intensively (for information, etc)
he delved in the Bible for quotations
-
to search or rummage (in a drawer, the pockets, etc)
-
(esp of an animal) to dig or burrow deeply (into the ground, etc)
-
archaic (also tr) to dig or turn up (earth, a garden, etc), as with a spade
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of delve
First recorded before 900; Middle English delven, Old English delfan; cognate with Dutch delven, Old High German telban
Explanation
The verb delve means to dig into, loosen, or investigate. She delved into her family's history and discovered an inventor, a checkers champion, and a circus equestrian in her ancestry. Delve has a literal meaning of to dig into the earth ("to delve the soil," as in preparing a garden, for example), but this sense is rare now. The verb is most often used in the more figurative sense — like to delve into a problem or into someone's personal life.
Vocabulary lists containing delve
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Words for the High School Graduate
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Devil and Tom Walker" by Washington Irving
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Delve into the backstories of instantly recognizable handbags, including the Hermès Birkin, Loewe Puzzle and Dior’s Lady Dior.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 28, 2025
Delve into Metallica’s set lists, which change every performance.
From New York Times • Aug. 17, 2023
Delve into these herb and spice-coated kernels that deliver on bold flavor and you'll see why.
From Salon • Feb. 28, 2022
In a report for the Royal Society’s Delve initiative, scientific researchers called for regular testing of teachers and secondary school pupils, whether or not they were showing symptoms of the virus.
From BBC • Sep. 15, 2020
Delve inside that brain of yours, and seek it out.
From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
