to break up, turn over, or remove earth, sand, etc., as with a shovel, spade, bulldozer, or claw; make an excavation.
to make one's way or work by or as by removing or turning over material.
to dig through the files.
to break up, turn over, or loosen (earth, sand, etc.), as with a shovel, spade, or bulldozer (often followed byup ).
to form or excavate (a hole, tunnel, etc.) by removing material.
to unearth, obtain, or remove by digging (often followed by up orout ).
to find or discover by effort or search.
to poke, thrust, or force (usually followed by in orinto ).
He dug his heel into the ground.
dig up
to discover in the course of digging.
to locate; find.
to dig up information.
dig into to attack, work, or apply oneself voraciously, vigorously, or energetically: to dig into a meal.
to dig into one's work;
to dig into a meal.
dig in
to dig trenches, as in order to defend a position in battle.
to maintain one's opinion or position.
to start eating.
dig out
to remove earth or debris from by digging.
to hollow out by digging.
to find by searching.
to dig out facts for a term paper.
to understand.
Can you dig what I'm saying?
to take notice of.
Dig those shoes he's wearing.
to like, love, or enjoy.
She digs that kind of music. We really dig each other.
to cut into, break up, and turn over or remove (earth, soil, etc), esp with a spade
to form or excavate (a hole, tunnel, passage, etc) by digging, usually with an implement or (of animals) with feet, claws, etc
to dig a tunnel
(often foll by through) to make or force (one's way), esp by removing obstructions
he dug his way through the crowd
(tr; often foll by out or up) to obtain by digging
to dig potatoes
to dig up treasure
(tr; often foll by out or up) to find or discover by effort or searching
to dig out unexpected facts
(tr; foll by in or into) to thrust or jab (a sharp instrument, weapon, etc); poke
he dug his spurs into the horse's side
(tr; foll by in or into) to mix (compost, etc) with soil by digging
informal (tr) to like, understand, or appreciate
slang (intr) to work hard, esp for an examination
informal (intr) to have lodgings
I dig in South London
the act of digging
a thrust or poke, esp in the ribs
a cutting or sarcastic remark
informal an archaeological excavation
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English diggen, deggen; perhaps from Middle French diguer “to dig,” from the same Germanic source as ditch ( def. )
First recorded in 1935–40; origin uncertain; perhaps the same as dig 1 ( def. )
When you dig, you scoop or shovel up dirt, sand, or some other material. Your dog might whine to go outside so she can dig a hole in your dad's garden. You can dig with your hands, a shovel, or even a tractor or backhoe. City crews dig up roads to repair water pipes, and gardeners dig small for planting bulbs. You can even say you dig your brother in the side when you jab him there. If someone says, "I dig you," they mean, "I understand," and if they say, "I dig your outfit," they like it. Both slang usages come from 1930s African American English.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Readers can dig into a character's psychology, historical context, or a philosophical concept -- no separate research required.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
If you were hiring a pro, they would dig much deeper and look at everyone’s tax-filing status, employment and financial needs, and keep track of it.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
We dig into the prenup clause more couples are using and how people are doing some homework before watching “The Odyssey.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
After a flood, the two men dig their way out of the disaster.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
‘We’ve got to dig in and wait till it’s over!’
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
"There were some other amazing finds on the dig. It was a field of dreams."
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2023
“That’s fine. I can dig. Wouldn’t trust anyone under 30 who didn’t poke at his or her or their elders. But it doesn’t mean that I or we have got to oblige.”
From New York Times ● Feb. 19, 2020
“We dig, dig, dig. We call it the stone way, the way of stones.”
From The Guardian ● Sep. 17, 2019
When Hope asks him if he’s off by himself looking for gold, he answers: “No. I just like to dig. I used to live in a hole.”
From Washington Post ● Apr. 15, 2016
“He says if we want to eat, we must dig. Our ration depends on our progress.”
From "Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys
Cava, despite the broader company’s stock decline, was still packed with salad-hungry customers; so were Naya and Dig Inn.
From Slate ● Jul. 17, 2026
Discussing the Strictly role on the new episode of her Dig It podcast, Ball said: "I didn't get it, but it's OK."
From BBC ● May 12, 2026
Dig deeper: Palantir pioneered the hottest job in tech.
From MarketWatch ● May 4, 2026
That piano is called the Dig EP from the Roland JV-1080 — the preset that Babyface used on the “Waiting to Exhale” soundtrack.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026
Dig up the truth about who dropped the parachutes.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
Both of the youngsters fledged, or took their first flight from the nest, but are still hanging around their natal digs, enjoying parental food deliveries and protection from intruders.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Small digs have since uncovered "extremely rare" evidence of early humans and animals - including the bones of a hippopotamus which roamed Wales 120,000 years ago.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026
Her mother had not communicated with Chapman’s brother about this very effectively — which was not a new pattern of behavior, but a problem dating back to childhood that Chapman digs into in her book.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
Offering a layup to politics writers, Drake briefly wonders if the ire he’s earned through decades of digs and questionable interpolations of other artists’ songs is actually antisemitism.
From Salon ● May 21, 2026
No one digs up a grave for food.
From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone
“It seemed like it digged the piece,” Aitken said, as wide-eyed and sincere as he is when talking about all of his work.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2024
Then, as a double precaution against double voting, each digged his fingers in a pot of indelible ink and presented his forearm to let one square inch of hair be shaved off.
From Time Magazine Archive
But he that had received one went and digged in the earth and hid his lord's money.
From Time Magazine Archive
Spade never digged a pit as murky, foul, treacherous as that which gapes for the spirit of a golfer who is off his form.
From Time Magazine Archive
Men were laboring with Mattocks & Axes & Picks & rustic Grubbing Hoes — & together they digged out & built up the Breastworks & Redoubts at the Eminence of the Hill.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson
Zemian, who had also been uncuffed, started digging through the SUV, collecting spare tactical vests, then propped them underneath the agent’s head.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
He has tried to fortify the land, closing off gateways, putting in concrete blocks or piles of logs, and digging rows of deep ditches to make it undrivable.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
Readers are digging into various editions of the ancient Greek epic before Nolan’s movie adaptation hits theaters this weekend.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
We’re still digging out of that huge jump in home prices, and even though wages are going up, prices are still going up, too — even if at a slower pace.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
“But then we wouldn’t have experienced the joy of digging through soggy garbage.”
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
Metal ores dug up during mining often contain sulfide minerals.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
In some areas, trenches have been dug to act as fire breaks.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
Aghast at the ways of men, he’s dug his own Circe-like fingers into Homer to manipulate the tale into a moralistic “Oppenheimer” prequel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
Since Russia’s 2022 invasion, the conflict has settled into a grinding war of attrition, with both sides deeply dug in.
From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2026
I dug my elbows into the table and focused on inhaling—then exhaling.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
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.
