DUG Synonyms: 133 Similar and Opposite Words

dug

verb

Definition of dug

past tense of dig

as in excavated

to hollow out or form (something) by removing earth a backhoe dug a hole in the backyard to make a swimming pool

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in enjoyed

to take pleasure in I really dig bluegrass music

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in knew

to have a clear idea of can you dig what I'm saying?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in poked

to urge or push forward with or as if with a pointed object every time I slowed down, he'd dig me in the ribs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of dug And yet the nugget of knowledge from his vast experience of traversing 120 yards (110 metres) via two 60-yard lengths in a trench – dug 4ft deep and 3ft wide in a Welsh field – filled with murky, mucky river water is not a tip about technique. — Rob Tanner, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Days before a Times reporter visited Matson’s property, a pack of wild dogs dug under his fence and fatally mauled his only surviving adult ostrich, Bam Bam. — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Each volunteer selected a site, dug a hole, and collected a soil sample. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026 For decades, activists and Myers’ legal team have dug through the wreckage of his case. — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026 Pits are frequently dug by hand and can reach several meters deep. — ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026 In Hohlt Park, volunteers dug through the volleyball court to fill sand bags before hauling them off to barricade weak spots on the levee where water still threatened to seep through. — Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 17 Aug. 2026 Both sides have consequently dug legal and PR trenches to snipe at the other and rally endorsements. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026 In the meantime, residents dug through debris themselves in search of people who might have survived. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dug

Verb

According to a study published today in the journal PLOS One, pottery shards excavated from the famous Etowah mounds in present-day Georgia contain trace residues of the plant.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 26 Aug. 2026
Once the crews finish their work, Cieslica said in some cases lawns were excavated and reseeded.

— Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of excavated

Verb

For hundreds of thousands of years, our species has enjoyed the warmth and protection of a good fire before bedtime.

— Mike McRae September 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
During their weeks-long hiatus, Navarro enjoyed vacationing with loved ones, while Goldberg shared clips of her attending art shows across Europe.

— Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of enjoyed

Verb

With the amount of firepower that Geneva graduated from last year’s lineup, senior forward Gabe Barwiolek knew the burden to score was going to fall upon his shoulders.

— Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
The grand jury said then-state Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office knew of the plans to divert the money.

— Jim Vertuno, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of knew

Verb

Better together Industry analysts, experts and insiders have consistently poked holes in the states' argument that the combination of TV networks would create antitrust issues.

— Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
So too were the buildings, including my hotel, which poked through the seven-foot-high snowbanks, looking like an ancient shipwreck covered in shifting sand.

— Adam H. Graham, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of poked

Verb

Two people were stabbed, one fatally, near Times Square on Monday afternoon, with responding authorities shooting and killing the female suspect, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

— Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 1 Sep. 2026
One of the two people who was stabbed also died, while the other victim was hospitalized in stable condition.

— Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of stabbed

Browse Nearby Words

duffs

dug

dug (away)

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Style

“Dug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dug. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of dug

verb

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