dug
ˈdəg 
; digging
; digging
1
a
: to break up, turn, or loosen (earth) with an implement
digging dirt with a shovel
machines digging up the road
b
: to prepare the soil of
dig a garden
2
a
: to bring to the surface by digging : unearth
dig potatoes
b
: to bring to light or out of hiding
dig up facts
3
: to hollow out or form by removing earth : excavate
dig a hole
dig a tunnel
4
6
slang
a
: to pay attention to : notice
dig that fancy hat
b
: understand, appreciate
couldn't dig the medical jargon
1
: to turn up, loosen, or remove earth
digging in the garden
dig for buried treasure
2
: to work hard or laboriously
3
: to advance by or as if by removing or pushing aside material
digging into the history of the company
1
2
digs plural
a
: accommodations (see accommodation sense 1a) for living or working
buying furniture for his new digs
b
chiefly British
: lodging sense 2b
3
: an archaeological excavation site
also
: the excavation itself
participated in a dig
digest
Examples of dig in a Sentence
Verb
Some animal has been digging in the garden.
They dug into the sand with their hands.
He dug down about 10 feet before he hit water.
Dig a hole three feet deep.
The first step in building a house is to dig the foundation.
The prisoners escaped by digging a tunnel under the fence.
digging clams on the beach
These detectives won't stop digging until they find out what happened.
Noun
She gave me a dig in the ribs to get my attention.
She participated in a dig last summer.
Recent Examples on the Web
Luke McGee, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
In Reality Check stories, Star-Telegram journalists dig deeper into questions over facts, consequences and accountability.
—Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2024
For the fourth season of The Challenge: All Stars, which premiers April 10 after a long delay, producers dug deep into Challenge history.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2024
The hole was dug intentionally, according to the study, and the animals were placed inside but without significant care.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2024
The most damaging thing chickens do to your garden is digging and kicking repeatedly.
—Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 9 Apr. 2024
The stormers had been walking and digging and fighting for forty-eight hours.
—Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Within days, a team of detectives was dispatched to go digging through the trash.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2024
In our Reality Check stories, Charlotte Observer journalists dig deeper into questions over facts, consequences and accountability.
—Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 29 Mar. 2024
Emile Ducke Thomas Gibbons-Neff, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2024
An ongoing archaeological dig at yet another site, a collection of Neolithic buildings called the Ness of Brodgar, located between the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness, has been unearthing new discoveries regularly for the past two decades.
—Dan Falk, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2024
Knight famously took a dig at Combs on stage at The Source Awards in 1995, shortly before the feud between Death Row and Bad Boy escalated.
—Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 5 Apr. 2024
Jon Stewart continues his ‘Daily Show’ comeback with a major dig at his former employer.
—Defne Karabatur, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
The dig was one of the only political comments made during the three-and-a-half hour ceremony, despite Trump claiming otherwise.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024
The lodge's digs are about as mesmerizing as the undulating scenery.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2024
Island Games — Including Some Fan-Favorites from U.K., Australia and the U.S.
The not-so-subtle digs came after the former couple split after Madix found an intimate video of Leviss, 29, on Sandoval's phone in March 2023.
—Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2024
Dressed in a gray sweatsuit and talking trash, LaMelo Ball fires up a shot from halfcourt that swishes through the net, causing the Charlotte Hornets star to take a dig at rookie Amari Bailey.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2024
Verb
There are ample recent examples of member states digging their heels in on one issue – funding for Ukraine or Covid relief packages – in exchange for turning a blind eye to their breaking of EU rules.
—Luke McGee, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
In Reality Check stories, Star-Telegram journalists dig deeper into questions over facts, consequences and accountability.
—Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2024
For the fourth season of The Challenge: All Stars, which premiers April 10 after a long delay, producers dug deep into Challenge history.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2024
The hole was dug intentionally, according to the study, and the animals were placed inside but without significant care.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2024
The most damaging thing chickens do to your garden is digging and kicking repeatedly.
—Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 9 Apr. 2024
The stormers had been walking and digging and fighting for forty-eight hours.
—Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Within days, a team of detectives was dispatched to go digging through the trash.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2024
In our Reality Check stories, Charlotte Observer journalists dig deeper into questions over facts, consequences and accountability.
—Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 29 Mar. 2024
Noun
The phrase is seen as a dig at the possibility these lonely residents are actually waiting for Russian troops to arrive.
—Emile Ducke Thomas Gibbons-Neff, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2024
An ongoing archaeological dig at yet another site, a collection of Neolithic buildings called the Ness of Brodgar, located between the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness, has been unearthing new discoveries regularly for the past two decades.
—Dan Falk, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2024
Knight famously took a dig at Combs on stage at The Source Awards in 1995, shortly before the feud between Death Row and Bad Boy escalated.
—Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 5 Apr. 2024
Jon Stewart continues his ‘Daily Show’ comeback with a major dig at his former employer.
—Defne Karabatur, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
The dig was one of the only political comments made during the three-and-a-half hour ceremony, despite Trump claiming otherwise.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024
The lodge's digs are about as mesmerizing as the undulating scenery.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2024
Island Games — Including Some Fan-Favorites from U.K., Australia and the U.S.
The not-so-subtle digs came after the former couple split after Madix found an intimate video of Leviss, 29, on Sandoval's phone in March 2023.
—Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2024
Dressed in a gray sweatsuit and talking trash, LaMelo Ball fires up a shot from halfcourt that swishes through the net, causing the Charlotte Hornets star to take a dig at rookie Amari Bailey.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dig.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb and Noun
Middle English diggen
First Known Use
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun
1797, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of dig was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing dig
Articles Related to dig
Dictionary Entries Near dig
Cite this Entry
“Dig.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dig. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
dig
1 of 2 verb
dug
ˈdəg
; digging
; digging
1
a
: to turn up the soil (as with a spade or hoe)
b
: to hollow out or form by removing earth
dig a hole
2
: to uncover or search by or as if by turning up earth
dig potatoes
dig for gold
dig through books for help
3
: find out
dig up the facts
4
: prod entry 1 sense 1, poke
dug me in the ribs
5
a
: to pay attention to : notice
dig that hat
b
: understand sense 1a
you dig me?
c
: like entry 1 sense 1
I dig music
digger
noun
dig
2 of 2 noun1
2
: a harsh remark : gibe
3
: a place where scientists (as archaeologists or paleontologists) try to recover buried objects by digging
also
: the process of digging for such objects
More from Merriam-Webster on dig
Nglish: Translation of dig for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of dig for Arabic Speakers
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