dig out
Idioms-
Extract, remove, as in He was determined to dig out every bit of metal he could find . [Late 1300s]
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Find by searching for, as in He dug out his first contract from the file . [Mid-1800s]
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.
Iran faces an enormous, costly and time-consuming effort to dig out from under the damage caused by the U.S. and Israeli attacks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
So, too, have the Iranians, who have reportedly increased their efforts to dig out stockpiles of missiles and drones buried by U.S. and Israeli strikes.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 2, 2026
Travel bans and school closures are still in place for Rhode Island and parts of Massachusetts as residents dig out of the storm.
From BBC ● Feb. 24, 2026
Driven by poverty and unemployment, the zama zamas -- which means "those who try" in the Zulu language -- descend deep into still gold-bearing shafts abandoned by mining companies or dig out new ones.
From Barron's ● Jan. 23, 2026
I take the bowl, dig out a spoon, and go for the milk.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
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.
