shovelful
Americannoun
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See -ful.
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Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of shovelful
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.
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In almost all cases, it came down to inadequate thought and planning before the first shovelful of dirt was turned.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 7, 2023
Silliest thing in the world is standing there throwing a shovelful of dirt at a 80-foot flame, feel like a complete idiot, but enough shovelfuls, you'll put it out.
From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2021
He carefully hauled out the bins, tipped them over and tossed piles of golden grain into his bison’s feeding pen by the shovelful.
From Washington Times ● Mar. 21, 2020
Siri Russell wiped away tears as she emptied a shovelful of dirt into one of the glass jars.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 7, 2018
It was a heavy snow, and with the ice intermixed, every shovelful took all his strength to lift and carry.
From "The Dead and the Gone" by Susan Beth Pfeffer
When fires broke out, flames could engulf an entire train car, forcing Woods to act quickly to contain the blaze with buckets of water and shovelfuls of sand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
Kneeling on the hard winter ground, the son cried again as shovelfuls of earth were thrown into the grave.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 20, 2023
Every day more solemn shovelfuls of dirt are poured into graves, and another shiva begins.
From New York Times ● Oct. 31, 2018
Brian Rodriguez, 22, of Moreno Valley, tried to pace himself as he heaved aside shovelfuls of leaves and chopped roots while humming to the tempo of Johnny Cash’s rendition of “John Henry.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2018
They walked through the Smoke, past cook fires being extinguished with shovelfuls of dirt; windows coming alight with candles and electric bulbs; and a handful of young uglies pursuing an escaped chicken.
From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld
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.
