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 has managed to dig out missiles trapped in underground facilities by U.S. attacks early in the war and has recently resumed production of new missiles from stockpiled parts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
The lower a pension fund’s ratio, the harder it is to dig out of the hole even as taxpayers shovel out more and more money to keep the shortfall from growing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
"We're still working, still searching for bodies. We're still going. It hasn't been easy," said Venezuelan volunteer Francisco Sasquia helping dig out a collapsed residence.
From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 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
He knelt to dig out a spot with his hands in the mossy earth.
From "Messenger" by Lois Lowry
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.
