dugout

noun

dug·​out ˈdəg-ˌau̇t How to pronounce dugout (audio)
Synonyms of dugoutnext
1
: a boat made by hollowing out a large log
2
a
: a shelter dug in a hillside
also : a shelter dug in the ground and roofed with sod
b
: an area in the side of a trench for quarters, storage, or protection
3
: either of two low shelters on either side of and facing a baseball diamond that contain the players' benches

Examples of dugout in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Gausman earned a high-five and slap on the back from manager Craig Counsell in the dugout after his night ended. — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2026 To keep Sale from getting rung up, Braves manager Walt Weiss charged from the dugout to intervene and was tossed by Merzel — Weiss’s first ejection as Braves’ skipper. — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 8 Aug. 2026 Still energy proved infectious, with the dugout jumping up and down while greeting him with a line of high-fives. — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026 Cleveland fans booed as Yan went to the dugout with the Mets ahead 4-3. — ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dugout

Word History

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dugout was in 1819

Rhymes for dugout

See All Rhymes for dugout

Browse Nearby Words

dugong
dugout
dugway
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dugout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dugout. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

dugout

noun
dug·​out ˈdəg-ˌau̇t How to pronounce dugout (audio)
1
: a boat made by hollowing out a log
2
: a shelter dug in a hillside or in the ground
3
: a low shelter facing a baseball diamond and containing the players' bench

More from Merriam-Webster on dugout

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for dugout

Nglish: Translation of dugout for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dugout

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of salvo

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

'Gaslighting,' 'Woke,' 'Democracy,' and Other Top Lookups
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All